Clashing Swords
by DragonFlame91
Summary: After losing her mother and father as a young girl, Aria is adopted by a handmaiden of King George. She is raised in the kingdom but her adventurous spirit makes her crave to explore beyond the castle walls. Before the Dark Curse hits, she has an explosive encounter with Hook, giving her an enemy in the roguish pirate. What happens when they meet again in Storybrooke?
1. Hiding

In the middle of a vast lake, there was an enormous, elegant castle built on top of an island. A narrow bridge connected the castle to the mainland and surrounding villages. In the past, the kingdom had been revered for its prosperity and good fortune. The villages were well-kept and their inhabitants praised the king and queen for their kindness. Recent years had seen the kingdom go to ruin. With the queen's death, the king had become hardened and bitter. He no longer cared for his people, only about maintaining his supremacy.

His thirst for power led to him sending some of his men to attack the giant colony at the top of a nearby beanstalk to retrieve magic beans to sell. His men stole all sorts of treasures though it proved futile. Within a short time, the kingdom was again in need of gold. The king kept this to himself, wanting the kingdom to stay under his control. He had grown too accustomed to his lavish lifestyle, including his many cooks, handmaidens, and royal guards. To keep the surrounding villages in the dark, he used his power as king to obtain gold through shady dealings. Despite his attempts to portray the idea of a thriving kingdom, those inside the castle walls knew different.

The many servants of the kingdom spent most of their time whispering about the kingdom's decline. A feast was currently being prepared to welcome the arrival of King Midas. He became well-known for his ability to turn anything into gold by a mere touch. Rumors spread that the king wanted to make a deal with Midas to ensure a lifetime of riches for his kingdom. As the servants busied themselves with cleaning the castle for Midas's impending arrival, a young girl, no older than 20, was hidden within the immense library.

She had long ebony locks that ended in ringlet curls, a heart-shaped face, soft pink lips, and tanned skin, which she got from spending most of her time outside. Her most striking feature was her eyes, a mixture of blue and green that matched the tropical seas. The girl had been sitting in the library often to avoid helping her mother with her work. Her mother was one of several handmaidens, who had been part of the kingdom since the girl was very little. The king and queen favored her, giving her a higher status among the servants. It allowed her and her daughter to be given far more comfortable accommodations and clothing. Though her mother always praised the king, the girl saw through his façade, seeing him for his true monstrous self. She looked outside with one of the villages in clear view. Sometimes, the girl wished that she could have stayed there instead of the castle. The king disproved of going down to the villages, believing it was beneath them. Although he expressed displeasure at the thought, she would often sneak down to the village to visit her friends.

As she stared out the window, she got distracted by high-pitched giggles. She scrunched her nose in disgust. Several girls passed by the open door with tousled hair and flushed cheeks. They were just some of the prince's latest dalliances in the past few days. Like his father, the prince tended to be arrogant and prideful. He treated the servants like scum and saw himself as superior. Girls were blinded by his noble status and handsome features, losing any bit of intelligence when he approached them. He would charm them with a simple smile or wink to get them in his bed.

When she first met the prince as a little girl, he locked her in a cupboard for hours for his own enjoyment. He would purposely tease her as adolescent boys do at that age. After many years of dealing with the prat, she tried her best to avoid him. As she grew older, no longer a child, he began to notice her beauty and attempted numerous times to charm her like one of his girls. The king noticed her growing beauty as well and used it to his advantage, parading her like some prized horse to entice men to agree to his dealings. Though her mother was uncomfortable with it, she could do nothing to help.

She could still hear the girls giggling and talking about their night with the prince. The girl found it humorous when she heard one girl claim that she would meet him again. None of them had any idea that once he got them in bed, he was done with them. He rarely bedded the same girl more than once. Attempting to tune the delusional girls out, she read her book. It was about a princess on an adventure with a roguish pirate. As she read about the princess and pirate fighting side by side with swords against a fearsome witch, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head, seeing a man in his late 20s behind her. He was very muscular with short dirty-blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She mentally cursed herself for not keeping the door shut.

"So this is where you have been the past few days. I won our little game of hide and seek"

"Well I suppose I picked a good spot. I don't believe you have ever set foot in a library before"

"All games end in a prize. What is mine?"

"The satisfaction that it only took you three days to find me. I was sure it would take at least a week and that was being generous"

He chuckled. She went back to her book. To her frustration, he did not leave the library. He snatched the book from her. Angrily, she stood up from the table.

"Give me the book, James"

He examined its pages. "Why do you read this drivel?"

"It is not drivel. Perhaps if you opened a book instead of a girl's legs, you would get some semblance of a brain"

James tossed the book onto the floor. He smirked, eyes glinting with mischief.

"I would love to open your legs, Aria"

She let out a disgusted scoff. As she reached down for the book, his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. She bumped into his chest. Their faces were inches apart.

"There is going to be a tournament to welcome King Midas. You should attend. I am going to be in it"

"As exciting as it sounds to watch you slaughter some fool, I am going to pass"

"My father requests it"

"Of course he does" she replied, thinking of what the king had planned.

James took out a sword from the scabbard on his side. He bragged about how his father had it crafted as a gift to him. Most girls would find it all fascinating. Aria feigned interest, attempting to not roll her eyes.

"Kiss it. It will bring me luck"

She blinked a few times, unsure if she heard him correctly. It was some strange superstition among knights. Before a battle, they had a woman kiss their sword for luck.

"You want me…to kiss a sword"

"Among other things" replied James, smirking.

"Ask one of the girls desperate for your affections to do it. I am sure they would beg for the opportunity"

Grabbing the book, she left the library. Aria muttered to herself about the king using her again. She imagined refusing to attend the tournament. The thought of him killing her mother for her disobedience made her comply with his demand. She entered her room to get ready for this silly event...

* * *

**A/N: Aria is going to be like Emma, the child of two characters from the Enchanted Forest. I'm not going to reveal who they are right away because it's a major part of who she is in terms of her personality and her life. I'll leave little hints throughout the chapters that relate to her mother or father so readers can guess their identity. She is going to be in Storybrooke under the curse. I wanted to start the story pre-curse to give some background. Killian is going to be introduced within a few chapters, meeting her before the curse strikes and it will show what kind of relationship they had before she was sent to Storybrooke. I hope you like it.**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	2. The Tournament

She entered her room to get ready for this silly event. It was much larger than the other servant quarters. The king often spoiled Aria, treating her like his own daughter. At times, she wondered if the gifts were simply incentives to convince her to continue helping him with his dealings. A dress and pair of heels had been laid out on the bed. It was dark blue with a golden floral design towards the bottom. The bodice tied in the front and had a braided golden belt around the waist. She grimaced, feeling the silk material. Aria preferred riding pants and boots to dresses and heels. She was the type to get dirty in the forest, not spend her time braiding her hair. As she slid her pants down, she heard the door handle open. She reached under the pillow, retrieving a small knife. A middle-aged woman entered the room. Aria sighed with relief. The woman noticed the knife in her hand.

"Aria, what are you doing with that?"

"I'm sorry, Annabeth. I thought you were James trying to catch me undressed. It would not be the first time"

"I was checking on you. You have been missing all morning"

Aria put the knife back under her pillow. Shutting the door behind her, Annabeth walked over to the bed. She admired the new dress.

"Wearing this to the tournament? I heard it will be most exciting"

"I am not going by choice. The king simply wants to show me off like a pony. I might as well have a saddle on my back"

Annabeth shot her a stern look. She frowned upon Aria's open dislike of King George and made it clear to not slander him in her presence. Aria understood her devotion to the kingdom. Before it went to ruin, the queen had helped her when Annabeth was at a very low point in her life. Her husband had been killed by a rival kingdom's knights for protecting an innocent man and proceeded to burn down their home. She was left with nothing and no one. Shortly before Aria's mother had been killed herself, she struck a close friendship with Annabeth. She urged her to care for Aria, knowing her father rarely came into her life due to being despised by the land. Annabeth promised, cherishing Aria since she had no children of her own. Aria was always grateful that she cared for her. She saw Annabeth as a second mother. The queen was the one to offer her work in the kingdom, seeing her kind heart and work ethic. Though the king showed little warmth to anyone, Annabeth continued to praise him, claiming he had goodness in him.

"Aria, he is a good man"

"He treats me like an object. We don't need to stay here"

"Your mother wanted you to have a good life. You have that here. You know I do not approve of his way with you sometimes but it is not our place. He is the king"

Aria put on the dress. It was extremely tight on her waist, accentuating her chest. The king lacked any subtlety. Annabeth smiled.

"You look beautiful, so much like your mother. When she was your age, she had the men in the village practically under a spell"

As Aria looked at herself in the mirror, she played with the chain of her necklace that had multiple charms dangling from it, including a heart, rose, and dagger. She looked at the small dagger charm. Her mother had given it to her on the night of her passing. It was one of the only things that she had left to remember her mother besides some clothes and a cloak. Aria kept them hidden in a chest under her bed. Annabeth always mentioned how she was like her mother in miniature in both looks and personality.

"I am sure you do the same"

"The men here have something else besides their brains do their thinking for them" retorted Aria.

"Not all of them do, dove. I know you will find a very special boy who will care deeply for you"

"With my luck, I will be married to James. I would prefer death. It is a good thing that I am not a princess"

Annabeth shook her head at her. After checking her appearance, she left the room. She bumped into someone, making her fall to the floor. There was a man in front of her, a couple years older than her, with wavy chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes. He had a boyish charm to his face. His name was Devon, one of the knights in George's guard. He used to live in the same village as Aria and had dreams of becoming a knight. A few years ago, she convinced the king to give him a chance. Devon was very skilled with a sword. He happened to be one of her closest friends. Aria considered him to be one of the few men who did not act like a pig. James and Devon had an antagonistic relationship due to his close relationship with Aria. Devon outright despised James and his conceited attitude. Coming from a more humble upbringing, he learned to treat everyone with respect. Unlike most men, Devon saw her as an equal. He even taught her how to defend herself. Seeing her, he looked embarrassed. He helped her up from the floor.

"I'm sorry, Aria. I was coming to get you for the tournament. I should have knocked"

She smiled. "I'm fine, Devon. I'm happy it is you and not James"

"He was busy bragging to Midas so I took the opportunity. You look…"

"Am I making you speechless?" she asked, a slight playful tone to her voice.

He blushed, stammering for a reply. It made her giggle. She grabbed his arm, pulling him down the corridor.

"Come on. Maybe if we get lucky, James will lose a limb…or a wild bear will appear and eat him"

"Where is a bear going to come from, Aria?"

"Do not ruin my dream"

The two friends walked outside the castle. Banners were hung along the walls to represent the kingdom's sigil. She saw James with the other knights, his sycophants. They all laughed at something that he said. The other nobles in the kingdom were already seated for the tournament. Devon brought her over to King George and a blonde-haired man, who she assumed to be Midas. Without even looking at Devon, the king dismissed him like a pest. Devon inclined his head and left them to prepare for his fight. George placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Midas, I would like you to meet Aria. She is one of the residents in the castle"

"It is a pleasure to meet you, King Midas" she said, doing a small curtsy.

He kissed her hand delicately. "The pleasure is all mine, my lady. You are truly a beauty. If George had mentioned you in our earlier conversations, I would have been here much sooner"

She feigned a smile. By now, Aria had learned how to act in these kind of meetings. They became so frequent that it was practically routine. King George would have her charm people with her looks. She was there to simply smile, laugh, and express amusement. As the tournament began, James sat beside her. His father would wait until later before showing off James's skills to Midas. It was bad enough to have to endure his father. Being between both men felt like absolute torture. It made her wish that a ravenous bear would actually appear just to end her misery.

"You look ravishing in that dress" he whispered in her ear.

She ignored him, knowing that she was mere seconds from breaking his nose. Devon attempted to teach one of the newer knights a better technique with his sword. When they caught each other's eye, he waved at her.

She waved back, mouthing, "Good luck"

James forced her hand down roughly. He intertwined their fingers. Disgusted, she wrenched her hand from his grasp.

"Why do you talk to that peasant?"

"He's my friend" she hissed, glaring.

"He's a sorry excuse for a knight. My father pities him"

"Devon is ten times the man you will ever be"

She knew that she struck a nerve. Her friendship with Devon tended to send James into a rage. She hoped that they did not fight each other in the tournament. The first fight started. She disliked these types of events where the aim was to kill. When Devon had to fight, she found herself holding her breath, hoping that he did not get hurt. As the sun began to set, the final battle of the day ended. The tournament would continue tomorrow afternoon. They entered the castle for dinner...


	3. James's Scheme

They entered the castle for dinner. King George held her back.

"Have you angered my son, Aria?"

"No, sir. Everything is fine"

"He is very taken with you. I suggest you return those affections"

"I don't"

He interrupted her. "It would be quite a shame if something was to happen to young Devon. Accidents can occur anytime"

Their eyes locked. He would show no remorse in killing Devon. With the tension between him and James, Devon meant nothing to the king. She needed to take this threat seriously. He tilted her chin up.

"You are an intelligent girl. I am sure you will make the right choice"

They entered the dining area of the Great Hall. She sat beside Devon. Once all the food had been set on the table, they began to eat. Aria was sneaking many glasses of wine. She could not help thinking about the king's threat. Devon looked at her, concerned. He took the glass from her.

"Aria, that is your tenth helping"

"I can hold my wine just fine, Devon"

"Something is bothering you. When you get nervous, you drink"

Aria told him about her conversation with King George. She mentioned how he wanted her to return James's affections. As she spoke, his face flushed with anger. His fists clenched. She poured more wine into her glass.

"What does that mean? Taking you into bed?" he asked, irritably.

"No, it—I am not sure. It could mean simply not reacting angrily to his little comments"

"How could you agree to that?"

"He threatened you. You are my friend, Devon. If keeping you safe means dealing with James, I will do it"

Aria placed her hand over his under the table. She cared very deeply for Devon. They had been through a lot together. She knew that he would protect her just as fiercely. Devon sighed, aware that he could not argue with Aria. She was extremely stubborn and it was near impossible to change her mind about something. He made her promise to come to him if James took things too far. She continued to drink. By the end of the meal, her head was swimming. Devon had to escort Midas to his guest chamber. Aria kissed his cheek and headed back to her room. The wine was finally getting to her. She stumbled a bit. Someone caught her, preventing her from falling. It was James.

"Someone had a bit too much to drink"

"I am fine, James"

"I would not be a gentleman if I did not help you back to your room"

With a sigh, she let him walk with her. She went into her room. It was extremely dark, making it difficult to see anything. She leaned against the bedpost, taking off her heels. Carelessly, she tossed them aside. The candles in her room lit up, brightening the room. Aria did not realize that James was still there. She thanked him for helping her. He poured her a glass of water, ensuring it would combat the effects of the wine. She took a small sip. Taking her hand, he brought her over to the mirror. She was about to protest until she remembered her promise to his fiendish father. He took something out of his pocket and draped it around her neck. Her eyes widened at the sight of a diamond necklace. He said it was a special gift for her. A feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that he stole it from a merchant.

"How did you afford this?"

"Price is no object when it comes to you. You can wear it in the villages and impress your friends"

She let out a small hiccup. "I don't go down to the village"

James chuckled. "You are not one to listen to my father. I am sure all of the men there are captivated by you. How could they not be when you are so beautiful?"

She felt a bit lightheaded. It was like she could barely focus. James's hands rested on her shoulders. His touch made her shiver. She noticed her vision began to get blurry.

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"That is a vast understatement. You know that you are and I think you enjoy toying with men who desire you"

Her lips curved into a small smile. "Sometimes. I think I need help getting out of my dress"

James slid the dress off of her shoulders. It fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. Aria stumbled again. He kept her steady. She told him that he needed to leave because she was tired. He made her drink another glass of water. It just seemed to make her feel weak and dazed. She insisted that he leave but he simply held onto her.

"I don't think that's what you want"

"James, you need to leave. I"

He leaned closer, their noses touching. "Tell me what you want" he whispered.

"I—I want"

She was having trouble forming a coherent sentence. Her knees weakened, causing her to fall onto the bed. James was on top of her. Her hand pressed against his chest, struggling to push him away. He was far too strong. She turned her head. His lips brushed her cheek. She felt his hand grip her thigh.

"You waste your time with pathetic boys. You deserve to know true pleasure"

"Stop it"

"I have wanted this for so long, Aria"

Aria was too weak to fight. Something other than the wine sapped her energy. Her eyes flickered to the pitcher of water.

"You…put some…something in there"

"Just a little potion to help you relax"

He kissed her roughly. She bit down on his lip. James pulled away and wiped off the blood with his hand. He let out a soft chuckle.

"I love that fire"

She reached under her pillow. He stopped her, getting the knife.

"Aria, what are you doing with this knife? It is very dangerous for a young girl to have"

James tossed the knife onto the floor. He ripped open her bodice, exposing her body.

"You are a man's dream" he said, pure lust in his voice.

"J—James, please"

His hand caressed her cheek. "I would never hurt you, Aria. Deep down, you want this"

He kissed her again, more roughly than the first time. The potion had taken full effect, making it difficult for her to even speak. His hand on her thigh slid between her legs. She would not give him any satisfaction. Her hips betrayed her, responding to his touch. Unable to resist, she let out a soft moan. He smirked into her lips, moving his hand faster. His lips traveled down to her neck. She gasped when he nipped her neck lightly. After a while, his hand was replaced by a more painful sensation. She winced. He moved inside her fast and hard. Tears filled her eyes.

"I know it hurts. It will get better"

Aria resigned to simply letting James do what he wanted. Even if she screamed, no one could help her. He was the prince. Going against him would mean losing their jobs or worse. The potion prevented her from defending herself. At some point, she felt drowsiness overcome her and fell asleep…


	4. Proposals and Deals

Aria woke up the next morning, still feeling a bit lightheaded. She rubbed her head. The events of last night came rushing back into her mind. She felt a mixture of intense anger and sadness. James had taken something special to her. He saw nothing wrong with his actions. She turned to her side and clutched the pillow, nearly causing a tear. All she wanted was vengeance for his trick. James placed light kisses on her shoulder. His hand caressed her side. It took every bit of restraint within her to not strangle him. He pushed her down on the bed.

"You were magnificent last night. I can only imagine what it will be like when you are not so tired"

Her eyes narrowed. He cupped her cheek.

"Is that any way to look at your fiancé?"

"My what?"

"Father wanted to wait until after Midas's departure to tell you but why wait? We are going to be married"

"You are a liar. I'm not a princess"

He smirked. "You are far more beautiful than any princess in the land. Besides, Midas agreed to finance the kingdom for life provided I do a small task for him and you visit his palace every month. I can let the old man indulge in his fantasies, knowing that you are mine forever"

Aria thought that this was one of his jokes. As children, he would constantly trick and tease her. She waited for him to start laughing. He looked serious. She felt physically sick. How could the king just make this decision without her consent? James kissed her.

"You should get dressed. The tournament begins in a half hour and I want my future queen there to watch me be victorious. Father is having me impress Midas by fighting the Behemoth"

He left the room. Aria laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She was still trying to make sense of what she learned only moments ago. The door opened. Devon entered, carrying a small plate of food and a glass of water. He looked at her, surprised.

"You missed breakfast. I snuck this from the kitchens. What are you still doing in bed? Aria?"

"Please just jab your sword through my head"

Devon sat on the edge of her bed. She put the pillow over her head. He questioned her about what happened. She told him about last night. He was furious that James tricked her with the potion to take advantage of her. Once he calmed down, she told him about this surprise engagement. She moved the pillow from her face. Devon was staring at her in shocked silence.

"H—he can't do that"

"I am not doing it. I don't care what the king says"

As she got out of bed, Devon turned away. She went behind the dressing screen to get changed. There was another expensive dress waiting on a chair. She got dressed, continuing to fume about the situation. Once she put on the dress, she grabbed her heels.

"It was bad enough when he said we were engaged. Apparently, I have to entertain Midas every month to get the kingdom its gold. We both know I will not be telling him stories"

"Does your mother know?"

"No. If she did, she would have poisoned him in his sleep. She might tolerate the king but she would never let me be forced into marriage"

She ate the toast and strawberries that he brought with him. "Thank you for bringing me breakfast"

Devon hugged her. It caught her off guard.

"I will not let this happen. You are not marrying that prat"

She heard someone clear their throat. Edward, the head of the royal guard, was standing in the doorway. He had a tough disposition that matched his burly frame. Edward acted very harshly with the younger knights like Devon. The man rarely cracked a smile, always having the same stony expression on his face.

"The prince sent me to bring you to the tournament, miss. I see you have company"

"I had not realized that he sent you" said Devon.

"You were told to go down to the village and handle the pest problem at the pub, weren't you, boy?"

Devon nodded. He squeezed her hand lightly before leaving. She followed Edward outside. It sounded strange for a knight to deal with a few rats. She had a feeling that James sent Devon away as a personal torment. King George and Midas were conversing cordially. Edward brought her over to James. In her head, she imagined taking Edward's sword and slicing both James and his father into pieces. James took her aside. He leaned in to kiss her. She turned her head, making him get her cheek.

"There is no reason to be modest, my princess. I have already seen every glorious part of you"

Aria thought up a plan in her head. She twirled her hair around her finger, nervously.

"James, I cannot marry you"

"Is there someone else? That peasant knight?" he asked, sounding slightly angry.

She shook her head. "N—no. I simply do not deserve you"

James merely chuckled. He pulled her into him, creating little space between their bodies. Her plan was failing. She simply enhanced his ego.

"Do not be silly. You deserve everything, Aria. We will be the envy of the entire land. I need a bit of luck"

He kissed her forcefully. She could do nothing to stop him in front of all these people. Giving in, she kissed him back. He pulled away, a small smile on his face.

"With that, I could kill 100 men" he whispered.

She walked over to King George. To her surprise, he was speaking with Annabeth. The shock on the older woman's face gave Aria a good idea about the subject of their conversation. He noticed her presence.

"Here's the future princess. I heard James broke the news early. I decided to let your mother sit in at the event today" he said, kissing her hand.

"I am very honored, your majesty. Any girl would be lucky to have James"

The tournament was about to begin. Annabeth sat beside her. Aria stared straight ahead. The first match started.

"Aria, are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, of course. It is perfectly normal for a girl to contemplate if a jump from this height would kill her or how her life is ruined because she is being forced to marry a pig"

Annabeth patted her hand. "I know this will be difficult for you. That boy does not deserve you, especially with his trickery last night"

"How do you"

"I spotted him pouring a vial into your pitcher before Clara brought it to your room. I knew he had less than honorable intentions. I wish there was something I could do to prevent this marriage"

After numerous matches, James was fighting with the Behemoth, a man more than 7 feet tall with arms the size of tree trunks. The man looked like he could tackle an ogre with no problem. Instead of a sword, he used a pronged spear. The fight was very intense. James got thrown to the ground hard. Before the Behemoth could strike a fatal blow, James jumped up and knocked the spear aside. He stabbed the Behemoth in the chest.

"Next time, make sure I am really dead" he said, smugly.

Aria watched the enormous man fall to the ground. King George and the knights clapped eagerly. Aria rolled her eyes. To appease the king, she joined in with cheering on James. King George took her arm, walking her down with him and Midas. James held onto her waist.

"With you, I am invincible" he whispered in her ear.

She feigned a smile. Midas praised him for his valiant fight. He questioned if he could do the same to a dragon. For a few months, his kingdom had been plagued by a fearsome dragon that killed any man who attempted to slay it. If James could perform this task, Midas promised gold to the kingdom. He touched James's sword with his hand. Aria watched as it turned to gold. He said that they would get the rest of the payment when James slayed the dragon. The two kings returned to the castle to discuss the details of the agreement.

"Aria, come inside. Let the prince celebrate his victory with his men" said Annabeth.

"We will have our own celebration later"

The corner of her eyes twitched, about to glare. Before she could retort, Annabeth led her back to the castle. She warned her to hold her tongue and not anger the prince. James was giving the men a rousing speech. Suddenly, she heard some of them call out his name in fright. She turned around. Her eyes widened, seeing the Behemoth's spear through his chest. The Behemoth took his final breath with a snarl. Annabeth turned Aria towards her.

"Listen to me, dove. Go up to your room and stay there"

"Is he"

"Go there now"

Aria headed back towards the castle. She stopped in front of the entrance archway. Putting the hood of her cloak over her head, she snuck down to the nearest village. A hand touched her shoulder, making her jump. Turning around, she saw two girls her age. One of them was tall with curly platinum blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. The other had a freckled face with long nut brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. These were her two closest friends in the village, Jane and Marissa. Of the three girls, Jane tended to be the most proper and feminine. She loved to hear stories about the castle and the king and queens who visited the kingdom. Marissa, like Aria, was more adventurous and very cheerful. Jane touched a sleeve of Aria's dress.

"This is beautiful"

"Admire it later. Is it true, Aria?" asked Marissa.

"Is what true?"

"Devon told us…well, I forced him to talk…he said that you are marrying that prat"

Marissa winced when Jane hit her shoulder. She lectured her for disrespecting royalty. Marissa rolled her eyes. She looked at Aria, curiously. Aria nodded her head towards the local pub. The three girls went inside, sitting at a back table. Devon walked over to them with his friends.

"Aria, what are you doing down here? If James"

Marissa waved her hand at him. "Quiet. She was about to tell us about this engagement"

"I don't think it is happening. James…he was killed"

They stared at her in shock. She told them what happened during the fight. Devon questioned if he was actually dead. Aria said that it seemed certain. The spear got him right through the heart. Even with the most powerful magic, the dead could not return. Aria spent most of the day in the pub. She enjoyed being in the village far more than the strict castle. A small part of her was elated with James's death. It saved her from marrying him. She was sure that George would force her to still visit Midas. As night fell, she returned to the castle with Devon. The knights were outside, practicing with various weapons.

"What are you doing outside the castle, little one?" asked Edward.

"It is not a crime to leave the castle, Edward. I did not go alone" she replied, irked by his name for her.

"As I can see. The prince does not approve of you being with anyone he does not assign for your protection"

"Yes, well, the prince is"

She stopped, seeing James speaking to one of the older men. There was no sign of injury. It looked as if he never got attacked. Aria thought it had to be a hallucination. How could he possibly be alive? Edward brought her over to him. He was holding a sword with an expression of uncertainty. Something appeared to be different about him.

"Aria was down in the village again, sir. She was worried about your recovery"

James gave a small nod. She scoffed under her breath at Edward's blatant lie.

"We will go over the plans to slay the dragon tomorrow. I am sure the two of you wish to be alone"

Once the knights entered the castle, she turned to James. He smiled. His usual smile was arrogant and smug. This seemed more genuine. She would not fall for another trick.

"Aria, I am glad that you are safe" he said, slightly hesitant.

Her eyes narrowed. She punched him across the face. He fell into the weapons holder, holding his cheek.

"That is for your vile trick last night. I am not going to marry you. Your father can torture me all he wants but I will never be yours"

James was oddly silent. She grabbed the knife hidden under her sleeve and pointed it between his legs.

"I should turn you into a eunuch for what you did to me. Do not mistake me for a helpless little girl, James"

"W—wait, wait. I'm not James"

"I am not going to be tricked again"

"James is dead. I—I'm his twin"

Aria looked into his eyes. She stared at him, attempting to see a hint of a lie. After a minute, she realized he was being honest. She put the knife down. David explained the situation to her. King George and his wife were unable to conceive a child so he made a deal with a strange man many years ago. The man went to a farm and offered an exchange. If the couple gave him one of their twin boys, who turned out to be James, he would help them with their troubles. King George summoned the man again due to James's death. The man told David that he only had to play the part of the prince. David would just pretend to be James while the knights slayed the dragon. The king agreed to keep the farm out of debt for helping with this deception. Aria grabbed two wooden swords, giving one to David. The swords were used for practice when a knight first started their training.

"What are you doing?"

"You are a shepherd and I doubt you ever needed a sword to herd sheep. If you want to convince Midas, you need to know how to use one"

"You are going to teach me?"

"I could take down the entire guard with one hand behind my back. Don't let the pretty face fool you"

She tore the bottom half of her dress, having on her riding pants underneath. Tossing the cloth aside, she pointed the sword at David. She practiced with him, giving him tips on his form and technique. They practiced for a few hours. He had a natural ability and got better with each new fight. Though he was far from James's skills, who had years of training, it would be enough to fool Midas. She knocked the sword out of his hand. He reached down to pick it up. She swiped his leg, making him fall, and pointed her sword at his chest

"You said to go right…but you went to your left. You lied"

"My eyes didn't lie. Fights are rarely fair, David. Your opponent, whether it is a person or a dragon, is never going to wait for you to pick up your sword"

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him up from the floor. He chuckled.

"You are a very good instructor. I'm sure the knights are not aware of this talent"

"Only a few"

She brought him into the kitchens. Getting two glasses, she poured water into them. She reached into her bag, taking out small leaves. Crushing them, she put the leaves into the water. She gave one of the glasses to David.

"What did you put in there?"

"An herb that energizes the body. My mother taught me about the healing properties of plants. I sometimes help heal the villagers of their injuries"

Aria took a small sip. "You were to be married to my brother?" he asked.

"Not by choice. The kingdom is not as perfect as it looks. The king uses me when he has company to get gold from them. James only wanted me for my appearance. Trust me, if I could, I would be far away from here but I stay for my mother"

"I understand. The only reason I am doing this is to ensure my mother has a good life"

"You should get some sleep. They will want to attack the dragon while it is sleeping and that is usually early in the morning"

"Thank you for your help, Aria"

She smiled and headed up to her room…


	5. The Pirate

-A year later- It had been a little over a year since James's death. The land had experienced a series of chaos and dangers. When David slayed the dragon, Midas offered his daughter Abigail's hand in marriage. King George threatened to kill David's mother if he did not keep up the charade. It got Aria out of her forced proposal though she was still required to visit Midas twice a month. Despite the arranged union between David and Abigail, he fell in love with Snow White, another princess. She was on the run from her stepmother, who accused her of treason and the murder of her own father. When Aria met Snow White herself, who had snuck into the castle to see David, she knew she was not a murderer. Snow explained how her stepmother Regina had been behind the death of her father and attempted to do the same to her. Regina became known as the Evil Queen throughout the land. She was feared by many for her dark magic. When Aria wanted to help David find her, after he left Abigail, the king locked her in her room. She was a prisoner in the castle. He told her that he owned her and would do with her whatever he pleased. To keep her in line, he used Annabeth as a threat. Luckily, David, Snow, and their friends defeated Regina and King George. David banished him from the kingdom, ensuring him that if he returned, he would be imprisoned. Regina was prevented by a magical charm from hurting either of them. After their defeat, David and Snow got married. The blissful event was interrupted by Regina herself. She vowed to destroy all of their lives with a dark curse. Everyone was frightened of when the queen would strike and the effects of the curse. Aria knew that a curse of such magnitude required a great deal of magic. She assured David that it would take Regina time to enact it. Snow and David went to visit an imprisoned Rumplestiltskin to question him about the curse. He gave them little information. All they learned was that the curse would send them to another land where they would be frozen in time, ripped away from their loved ones. He told Snow that their child could save them after 28 years. Regina's guards began to slaughter innocent people outside the villages, including Jane's mother who was passing through the woods one day. Jane rarely left the house, now needing to care for her younger siblings. Aria was sitting in the pub, waiting for Marissa to arrive…

~Killian~

Killian Jones had just entered a nearby village with his crew. Most of the shops were closed with the threat of the impending curse. Starkey, one of his crew members, heard whispers of an elderly man who had information on a weapon to kill Rumplestiltskin. Killian spent 300 years, most of them in Neverland, to formulate a plan of revenge. The cowardly crocodile murdered his love Milah right in front of him and cut off Killian's left hand. Killian swore that he would get his vengeance on him. It was the one thing on his mind. For years, he heard of a magical weapon capable of killing the Dark One. It was a special dagger. Most did not know about this weapon. Starkey heard that this man made a deal with Rumplestiltskin for a better life. From the deal, the man received never-ending riches. The deal, as always, came with a price, causing the man to lose his family. He went to Rumplestiltskin's home to confront him and saw where he hid the dagger. The villagers looked frightened at the sight of the crew. Killian gained a reputation as Captain Hook, due to the hook that replaced his hand. His name was known throughout many lands where he was considered fearsome, roguish, and dangerous.

"He lives in this village, Captain" said Starkey.

"We can find him later. I fancy a few drinks first"

The men laughed and followed him into a pub. As they sat at a table, a barmaid walked over, asking for their orders. Slank already began his flirting, slapping her behind. The woman's cheeks flushed deep red. It did not take long for girls to come to the crew. Women were always entranced by the pirate lifestyle. They liked that sense of danger and excitement that their foolish husbands could not provide. Killian had one of the girls on his lap. Her name was Elizabeth. She seemed a bit desperate for his attention. The blonde-haired girl kept smiling and giggling at stories of his adventures. Killian did not mind that she was far from the brightest diamond in the mine. It would make it easier to get her in his bed. As he told her about fighting Indians in Neverland, he got distracted by the sound of crying. A small boy had entered the pub with a torn sleeve and cut elbow. He hurried over to a back table where two young girls, a couple years younger than Elizabeth, sat. Killian could not help staring at the raven-haired girl. Even from a far distance, she was captivating. The boy showed her the cut on his arm. She put him on her lap, cleaning the wound with a cloth. Another bit of cloth was tied around the wound. She ruffled his hair, playfully. Based on the boy's smile, Killian had a feeling that he hurt himself on purpose. Elizabeth turned his head back to her.

"Tell me more stories"

"Sorry, love. Story-telling's over"

"I can get you another drink"

She kissed his cheek and headed over to the bar. Killian continued to watch the raven-haired girl. Her friend got up from the table. Once she left the pub, he decided to take his chance. The mysterious beauty was reading a book. As she skimmed its pages, her hand played with the charms on her necklace. Killian could already tell that she was different. Instead of a dress like most girls, she wore tight dark leather pants and a long-sleeved blouse that tied in the front, accentuating her petite figure. Killian smirked, now wanting something else besides a dagger. He walked over to her table. With his hand, he pushed down the book.

"I can think of something far more interesting than that book, love. It happens to be right in front of you"

The girl did not even glance up. She continued reading.

"Why not put down the book and come aboard my ship?"

"I can think of a million things I would rather do than board your ship"

He chuckled. "She's a fine vessel, love. Any woman would love to see it, especially my private quarters"

"And yet you are speaking to the one girl in here who is not interested. Why not bring Elizabeth? She has been practically begging you to bed her. At this point, she might simply rip off her dress and let you take her on the table"

"Ah, so you noticed me. I am hard to miss"

"That is true. It is hard to miss a drunken fool telling silly stories to seduce a girl. You never fought a yaoguai. They don't live near lakes and they never harm people unless threatened"

Killian was surprised that she saw through his lie. His stories contained mostly truths. Usually, he made up a few things to simply get a girl more excited. He could tell that she was not dim-witted like the other girls in this pub. It made him even more interested. He never met a girl who did not fall immediately to his charms.

"Killian Jones"

"Wonderful that you know your own name"

"What's your name, beautiful?"

She sighed. "I would tell you…but I don't speak scum. I can tell that is your native language"

The girl closed her book and stood up from the table. Still not looking at him, she left the pub. Before he could follow her, someone grabbed his arm. Elizabeth had him in a vice grip. He returned to the crew. As she talked about herself, he watched the door of the pub. Killian waited for the girl to come back for any reason. He always got what he wanted and this girl was no exception. After a few more beers, he decided to find his informant.

"I have business to attend to, lass. Perhaps I will see you later"

"The pub is empty around 10. You can meet me then"

He left the pub. Cookson told him that one of the girls knew the old man. He would go out to the forest late in the afternoon. Killian headed for the forest. After walking around aimlessly for what felt like hours, he spotted an elderly man. He told his crew to wait until he gave the proper signal. On his own, he walked over to the man.

"Hello there. Out for a bit of a stroll?"

"I like to stretch my legs. You are far from your ship, pirate"

"That I am. I was wondering if we could have a chat about a little dagger"

The man tensed up. "I apologize. I cannot"

Killian forced him against a tree. His men came out from their hiding spots, brandishing their swords. He had his hand around the man's throat. His hook was dangerously close to his eye. The man pleaded for Killian to let go of him. He repeatedly swore that he knew nothing about the dagger. Killian smirked.

"The asking was me being a gentleman. I'm afraid you are going to answer all of my questions, old man"

"I do not know about the dagger that can kill the Dark One"

"Lies. Many say that you saw where he hides it"

"That was years ago, lad. I do not remember"

"Perhaps my hook can refresh your memory"

The man looked fearful. As Killian raised his hook, a knife flew through the air, striking his sleeve. It pinned his arm to the tree. A strange powder fell onto the ground. It looked like gunpowder. He caught the scent of something burning. Suddenly, there was a small explosion. His men dropped like flies. From one of the trees, a cloaked figure jumped down. Starkey attacked them with his sword. The figure punched him across the face, knocking him out cold. Killian struggled to move his hook.

"I am sure you know who I am. You know that I am not someone to make an enemy. So if you would kindly remove this knife and leave me to my business, boy" he said, harshly.

The figure took down their hood. His eyes widened, seeing the girl from the pub. With him distracted, the elderly man got out of his grasp. Killian watched his chance at finding the dagger's location hurrying down the dirt path. With his hand, he removed the knife. He turned to the girl. Anger overcame him. She interfered with his quest. That old man was his best hope of learning how to skin his crocodile. He snarled. Not even caring that she was a girl, he tackled her roughly. The impact caused them to roll down a hill. The girl ended up on top of him. She giggled.

"I win" she stated as though they had been playing a game.

Killian pushed her down. It required little strength considering her petite frame. He held the knife to her throat.

"What's your name, girl? I would like to know the name of the person who has impeded my quest for revenge"

She was silent. His hook dug into the sleeve of her blouse, causing a slight tear.

"Unless you would like my hook to touch bare flesh, you"

He was interrupted by a sharp pain in his side. She had kneed him hard. The girl pinned him down once more. She grabbed the knife. Instead of his throat, she pressed it against his thigh.

"You know, everyone worries about the throat but they forget a little artery down here. If I nick it, you'd be dead in minutes, pirate"

"You are very unladylike"

"I am not a lady"

"No. You seem to be more like an animal…a little annoying puppy"

Her eyes narrowed. "Give me one reason not to turn you into the kingdom"

Killian winced, clutching his arm. She glanced down. He gained the upper-hand with his ruse, getting on top of her. Easily, he pinned her arms above her head.

"Just like a girl to be distracted by a man's injuries. You are a feisty lass. I am sure we can work this out in private" he said, using his charm.

He raised his eyebrow in a suggestive manner. She looked at him, strangely.

"Why do you do that with your eyebrows? Is that some odd way to seduce a girl?"

The girl struggled to move. Killian chuckled.

"I do enjoy a challenge"

"As if I could be charmed by a fool who got bested by a single knife. I know who you are…everyone says you are fearsome and dangerous. They appear to have exaggerated"

He smirked. "Far from it, love"

Being so close to her, he was able to see her features clearly. She appeared even more beautiful if possible. He was entranced by her eyes, which were breathtaking. Her innocent appearance hid her truly fiery personality. He rarely met a girl who could hold her own against him.

"Perhaps you should give me incentive to not gut you for making me lose my informant"

Her hand brushed against his chest. It caught him by surprise.

"I can think of something" she whispered, seductively.

Killian knew that he had her. No girl could resist him for long. As he leaned closer, her head slammed into his own. He fell back, holding his nose. Blood seeped through his fingers. She ran through the forest. Killian chased after her. His pitiful crew finally woke up. They followed in the pursuit. He felt his foot press against soft ground. In the next instant, they were caught in a net that hung a few feet in the air. The girl stood underneath the net. She smiled sweetly.

"It looks like you have been bested"

"Cut me loose!"

From her satchel, she took out a piece of parchment. It was his list of possible informants that had seen the dagger. He needed that to continue his search.

"Give me that, girl"

"No. You clearly intend to murder and this will simply aid you in that goal. I think I will leave you here for the knights to find. You better make a quick escape, Captain Eyebrows"

"I have a name" he snarled.

"I prefer my name for you. It is far more fitting" she teased.

"You best hope that you are good at hiding, lass. When I get free of this trap, I will hunt you down and show just how fearsome I can be"

The girl looked unfazed. She gave a mock curtsy and continued down the path. Killian swiped his hook at the ropes. After a few minutes, he was able to cut a small hole. The ropes were very thick and strong. He had a feeling that she constructed the trap. Suddenly, the net fell on its own. He slammed into the ground. Disentangling himself, he stood up to find Cora. A few months ago, he did a job for her daughter Regina that required killing Cora. He faked her death after learning the curse that Regina intended to enact would wipe him of his memories, causing him to forget his vengeance towards Rumplestiltskin. He made an alliance with Cora behind her back.

"Hello Hook"

"Cora"

"Hanging about? He must have been quite a man to best you"

Killian wiped the blood from his nose. "A girl. I underestimated her. I will not do that again when I kill her"

Cora pursed her lips. She took his arm, leading him down the path.

"We do not have time for little girls. Regina is close to enacting the curse and we need to prepare"

He noticed something shiny on the ground. It was a small charm in the shape of a dagger. He remembered seeing it on the girl's necklace. It must have fallen off during their fight. Putting the charm into his pocket, he followed after Cora...

* * *

**A/N: So I wrote this chapter a little different by having their first meeting in Hook's POV. I came up with Aria's nickname for Hook from Colin's portrayal of Hook on the show. He does this thing with his eyebrows when he's talking, especially when he's flirting. With the dagger charm, Hook's chain has a dagger and a skull hanging from it. I just made up a background story as to how he got the dagger charm, which belonged to Aria.  
**


	6. The Dark Curse

Aria was walking along the bridge that connected to the castle. She glanced at the parchment that she snatched from Hook. It listed names with their location. He seemed very determined on his quest. She rolled up the parchment, hiding it in her satchel. As she neared the entrance to the castle, she heard someone call her name. David was leaving the dining area with Snow, Red, and Grumpy. She attempted to hide the dirt on her clothes. Her fight with Hook got her very messy. He looked concerned.

"Where have you been? Tell me you were not outside the castle again"

"Then we cannot have this conversation"

Red and Snow gave her a knowing smile. They were aware of her adventurous spirit and sneaking down to the village. David did not want her outside the castle with Regina's guards just waiting to attack. He offered for Marissa to visit but she claimed to be allergic to castles. The real reason was that Owen, one of the knights, insulted her when she was younger and she held long grudges. Aria smiled innocently. She lied about getting various herbs. David sighed.

"Aria, it"

"Is not safe out there with Regina. I am not scared of her"

"Nothing scares you…which worries me and everyone else"

Snow patted him on the shoulder. "Aria can handle herself, Charming"

"If you were getting plants, why are you all dirty?" asked Grumpy, curiously.

"I get very involved"

She knew that she gave a poor excuse. Before they could question her, she hurried down the corridor. She passed by the training room. Devon was practicing with a sword. She walked into the room. As he struck a target, he noticed her. He looked over her appearance.

"What happened to you?"

"Collecting herbs"

Devon lifted up her necklace. He noted that the dagger charm was missing. She had not even realized that it fell off in the forest. Devon offered to search for it. She told him that it was silly to go through a vast forest to find a little trinket. Part of her wanted to go out to the forest again. Aria decided against it in case Hook and his men were waiting for her. She felt terrible that she lost something so important to her. It connected her to her mother. To distract herself, she picked up a sword.

"Want to hear about my exciting adventure?"

"Finding plants?" he asked with a laugh.

"And fighting pirates. Captain Hook himself" she replied, smirking.

His smile faltered. Hook was known throughout the land. He had a reputation for being a ruthless pirate. Meeting him personally, Aria thought it was all talk. He did not seem that impressive to her.

"Hook? What was he doing here?"

"Harassing an old man. I stopped him"

"You should not be near a pirate, let alone speaking to one"

Aria rolled her eyes. She played around with the sword. He stopped her. His hand brushed against her torn sleeve.

"He did this"

"Devon, do not overreact. I did far worse damage, physical and emotional"

"Please tell me you did not anger h—well it is you so he will want your head on a spike. You cannot make enemies with a pirate, especially Hook"

"Let's stop talking about him. I need a little favor. I need to go down to the mines"

Aria pouted. Devon looked reluctant. He closed his eyes, not letting her pout have its usual effect. She kissed his cheek. After a few more seconds, he groaned. He grabbed his cloak and left the training room with her. Together, they headed down to the dwarves' mines. A guard stopped them. Devon showed the kingdom sigil on his sleeve. The guard let them enter the mine. Another was waiting near the cells. Devon explained that Aria had some business to discuss down here. Aria requested that both men leave her alone.

"I cannot do that, miss. He is dangerous"

"You can and you will do it. He has no reason to hurt me. Leave"

"Just agree to it. She will not take no for an answer"

Once they left, she walked over to the cell. A man emerged from the shadows. He had greasy straggly hair with wide eyes and graying skin. His skin was scaly like a crocodile. She took her hood down. He smiled.

"Hello little dove. I was beginning to think that you would not visit me"

"Charming did not like the idea. He does not trust you much"

She showed him the parchment. "What is that?"

"It belonged to a man who very much wants to see the Dark One dead. It's a list of people who have seen the dagger"

"What man?"

"Unimportant. I stole it from him to slow him down. I doubt any of these people could have helped him. You hide things well"

Rumplestiltskin grabbed the parchment. He glanced over it multiple times then ripped it into small pieces. She watched him lift up a small rock. He returned to the bars of the cell. In his hand was a silver chain with a circular vial attached to it. The vial contained black liquid. He said it was squid ink. Aria knew that it could keep a person's magic trapped. He handed it to her, insisting for her to wear it. Puzzled, she put on the necklace.

"You will never take that off. It will protect you in the new land from any danger, including Regina"

"This new land has no magic"

"I made some modifications. She dislikes you very much, little dove. This will keep you out of harm"

"What's your price?"

He cupped her cheek. "Consider it on me. My deal involving you was important to me. You have a good life? I did make that deal with your mother"

Aria nodded. He warned her that the curse would occur soon. Putting her hood up, she left the mines. It was extremely windy. The sky turned pitch black with no clouds in sight. Clouds of dark smoke, colored lightning striking from within, moved through the forest. Devon grabbed her hand. They hurried back to the castle. Bells sounded in the distance, the signal for the curse. Red was hurrying down the stairs.

"Aria, here you are. Snow needs help. The baby…it's come early. Regina and her guards are on their way"

Aria went up to David and Snow's chamber. Snow was laying on the bed, crying out in pain. David held her hand while Annabeth acted as a nurse. Aria opened a cabinet, taking out a vial of blue liquid. She poured it into a small glass, giving it to Snow. It would get rid of the pain and make the birth easier. Snow drank the liquid. She started to calm down. After a few minutes, she had the baby. Doc wrapped her in a special blanket. Aria looked out the window. The guards had broken into the castle. Snow and David looked very happy together. She cradled Emma in her arms. Her smile fell.

"The wardrobe…it will only take one"

When they first learned about Emma being the key to break the curse, the Blue Fairy came up with a solution. She found an enchanted tree that could be used to transport a person through a portal. Gepetto agreed to turn it into a wardrobe. Since the tree could only transport one person, the original plan had been to send Snow. This would allow her to raise Emma and then break the curse in 28 years. Snow was looking down at Emma.

"Snow" said Aria.

"We need to get her to the wardrobe. She is our only hope. We have to give her her best chance"

David and Snow had tears in their eyes. Aria worried about Emma finding her way back on her own. Who would take care of her? Holding Emma, David left the room with his sword. Aria gave her another vial to calm her nerves. Snow did not take it.

"Go help him, Aria"

"I am not leaving you here"

"Annabeth is here. You need to make sure Emma is safe"

Aria hugged her. "Don't worry"

Grabbing a sword from the wall, she headed down the corridor. David was fighting two of Regina's guards at once. One of them sliced his shoulder, creating a deep gash. He killed both men. Aria went over to him. More guards were coming down the corridor.

"Go put Emma in the wardrobe"

"Aria, I cannot leave you"

"Who taught you how to fight? It was me. I can handle these imbeciles"

David headed for the wardrobe. Aria stood her ground.

"Stand aside, girl"

"You are going to have to get through me"

She fought with the guards. Even on her own, she was able to kill four of them. Only three remained. She raised her sword, ready to strike. Her arms got pinned to her side. She struggled to move. The sword fell from her grasp. Regina walked down the corridor, her hand glowing purple. Her eyes gleamed with malice.

"Such a talented girl you are, Aria. I am sure you wish you took my offer now"

"No. I would never help you. Even with this curse, you still will lose"

She glared. "Insolent child. You need to learn respect"

Grabbing her, one of the guards forced her against the wall. They took off their helmet. He was around her age with disheveled dark brown hair, emerald green eyes, and a very muscular build. A small scar ran across his chin. Aria had given it to him herself. His name was Alec, one of Regina's pathetic guards. When she helped Snow to find David in the castle, she fought with him. He was very similar to James, arrogant and cruel. Alec made it difficult to move. Regina told the other two guards to find Emma.

"What about our deal?" said Alec.

"Yes, yes, do as I told you and it will work"

She continued down the corridor. Aria attempted to reach for the knife hidden in her boot. Alec grabbed it. He smirked at her. Using the knife, he cut open her blouse.

"Let me go. How can you let her do this? The curse affects you too"

"She promised happiness in this new land for all those on her side"

"She is manipulating you. She is the only one who will get what she thinks is happiness"

The windows of the castle shattered. Alec was staring at her lips. The smoke billowed throughout the castle. It was coming closer.

"Time for my deal"

"What are you"

Her eyes widened when he kissed her. She pushed against him, frantically. The smoke enveloped them completely…


	7. Storybrooke

-28 years later- An alarm blared loudly. Under the covers, a hand hit the clock. The incessant beeping stopped. Light shined through the window. The covers were pushed back. Someone shook her lightly. She kept the pillow over her head. Sleepily, she muttered about wanting to stay in bed. She was pushed down on the bed, seeing Robert on top of her. He kissed her softly.

"As much as I would love to spend an entire day in bed, we have work, Faye"

"Ugh, fine. Today is actually a special day. It has been a whole week since Regina tried to strangle me"

Robert smiled. "She isn't that bad, Faye"

"Well you're her golden boy in the mayor's office. She called me a smart mouth"

"You are a smart mouth but I love your mouth…and your nose..."

As he named different body parts, he kissed her there. She giggled. Robert lifted her out of bed. They continued to kiss as he carried her into the bathroom. Faye and Robert had been dating for a long time. Recently, they decided to live together, moving into his house. Her friends thought it was too soon for such a big step. They claimed that she deserved to play the field a little, being young and pretty. Faye worked as a doctor at Storybrooke General Hospital. Despite her young age, she was one of the best. Most of the residents came to her with their problems since Dr. Whale could be a bit off-putting. Robert worked in the mayor's office as an assistant to Regina Mills, the mayor. For unexplained reasons, Regina despised Faye. They could not have a civil conversation without her getting angry with Faye about something. No matter how hard Faye tried, Regina did not like her. It was almost like a built-in loathing. She especially hated how her adopted son Henry had a close relationship to Faye. He was like her own little brother. Henry had a very curious, outgoing personality. He tended to be a bit of a loner, never connecting with the other children. Faye had a bad relationship with her own mother, who rarely spoke to Faye except for rent money. As Faye got dressed, she noticed something strange about the clock tower. The hands on the clock were actually moving. She never saw it work before. Robert snapped her out of her daze.

"We need to get going"

"Coming"

She grabbed her purse and left the house with Robert. As they walked down the street, she saw Mr. Gold leaving his shop. Robert tightened his grip on her waist. Most people in the town were not fond of him. He had an antiques shop and practically owned Storybrooke. Despite his cold demeanor, he was generous to Faye. He never charged her for rent. Robert disliked it, questioning his intentions. Faye thought he was paranoid. She treated Mr. Gold with respect and kindness. Sometimes, she felt bad for his lack of friends though he did not seem to mind. Mr. Gold smiled.

"Good morning, Faye. You are looking lovely as usual"

"Thanks, Mr. Gold"

He picked up one of her necklaces. It had a circular vial attached with black liquid inside, making a swirled pattern. Faye wore it for as long as she could remember. She could never recall who gave it to her.

"What a lovely little necklace"

Robert pulled it from his grasp. "No offense meant, Mr. Gold. I'd appreciate if you kept your hands off my girlfriend"

"Rob" she hissed.

"It's quite alright. You're lucky you live with Faye now, Mr. Black…or else you would still need to pay that hefty rent"

Mr. Gold nodded at her and walked across the street. Robert glared at him. She smacked his chest. He winced.

"Why were you rude? He was just touching my necklace"

"He's a creep"

"He is not. Be nice to him, Rob"

"Faye!"

Someone jumped onto her back. She grabbed them. It was Henry. She pretended to struggle to hold him.

"Someone has been eating their Wheaties. Soon enough, you'll be able to lift cars with one hand"

He laughed. There was a blonde woman in her late 20s with him. She had very similar features to Henry, including their eye color. Faye got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about her identity. Robert scrunched his nose at her clothing, consisting of jeans, a white tank top, and a red leather jacket. He always said people should be dressed to impress, disliking casual attire.

"Faye, this is Emma, my birth mom. I found her last night and brought her here. Emma, this is Faye and her boyfriend Robert"

Faye smiled kindly. "It's really nice to meet you, Emma"

"She's helping with Operation Cobra"

Operation Cobra was a special plan devised by Henry. A few months ago, while they had lunch at Granny's dinner, Henry mentioned a theory of his to Faye. His teacher Mary Margaret, a very kind-hearted woman, gave him a book of fairytales. He believed that the stories were real and the characters were trapped in the town by Regina, the evil queen. Faye listened to him figure out various identities of people in Storybrooke. Based on the book, he thought that his mother was the daughter of Snow White, who was supposedly Mary Margaret, and Prince Charming. Faye played along, attributing his ideas to a big imagination. She did not want to crush his spirit. When Mary Margaret assigned a family tree assignment, he asked for her help, wanting to learn about his birth parents. She found out that his mother, Emma Swan, lived in Boston. When she helped him, she did not think that he would run off to Boston to find her. She hoped that he never mentioned his involvement to Regina. Robert looked confused.

"What's Operation Cobra?"

"Sorry, Robert, it's top secret. You work for my mom so you can't be trusted"

Faye decided to change the subject. "So Emma, how long will you be here?"

"Just the week"

"Well I hope you decide to stay longer. I think you'll really like Storybrooke"

"We're still meeting up for lunch at Granny's, right?"

"Henry, our daily lunches are tradition. I would never miss one. You just save our favorite table, handsome"

She ruffled his hair. Giving Emma a quick smile, she left with Robert. He glanced back.

"Are you checking her out?" she joked.

"Of course not. This must be why Regina called me late last night. She sounded furious"

"All adopted kids are curious about their birth parents"

They stopped in front of the hospital. Robert kissed her cheek.

"I'll see you after work, beautiful"

Faye entered the hospital. She went into her office. As she unbuttoned her coat, she heard the door open. Dr. Whale was leaning against the doorway, holding a glass of whiskey. His eyes traveled up and down her body. He was known for ogling and flirting with women. Being a flirt herself, Faye did not mind his comments. She would tease him back. Robert was confident enough in their relationship that he did not feel threatened by her playful nature. She questioned Whale if it would be smart to drink alcohol in a hospital.

"I do have you to hold me if I get dizzy"

"Can you really trust me, Victor? You could wake up tied to my bed with a gag in your mouth"

"You act as if that's a punishment, Faye. I'm sure many men here would love to be tied up by you"

She rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile. Grabbing some files, she moved past him. She purposely brushed against him.

"I doubt you could handle a girl like me" she whispered.

With a tiny wink, she went down the corridor. "Dr. Basilia"

Faye immediately recognized that voice. She continued walking. It could just be a bad hallucination. The person kept calling out to her in a harsh tone. Biting her lip, she turned around. Regina walked towards her with Sheriff Graham close behind. Graham gave her a sympathetic look. He usually defended her when Regina got mad at her. Faye feigned a smile.

"Regina, what are you doing here? Feeling sick?"

"Dr. Basilia, did you help my son find his birth mother?"

"Define help"

"Do not play that innocent act with me"

"Regina, I didn't tell him to go find her. He was doing a school assignment and needed some computer help. Maybe he would have asked you if you were closer to him"

She regretted what she said. At times, Faye just blurted things out. She did not think much before speaking. It was how she often got on Regina's bad side. Regina moved her hands, looking ready to strangle her. Faye took a step back. Regina stopped as though something physically prevented her. Her eyes narrowed. Ezra, one of the hospital volunteers, walked over, carrying boxes. He was generally shy and quiet, not getting involved in conflicts. When he spoke, he tended to stutter. Robert and his friends would sometimes tease him. Faye liked that he was such a generous person, helping out at the hospital and animal shelter.

"I—is everything okay, Faye?"

"It is not your business, Mr. Hale. This is between me and her. Dr. Basilia, I will not take parenting advice from a stupid tease whose own mother threw her out of her home"

"Regina" started Graham.

"Don't talk about her like that!"

Faye looked at Ezra, surprised. She never heard him yell, especially at someone like Regina. His face turned deep red. Regina regained her composure. She sneered at Faye.

"If I see you influencing bad behavior on my son again, I will have you arrested"

Regina left the hospital with Graham. Faye looked at Ezra.

"Thanks for defending me"

"I—I don't know why I s—said that. S—she's really m—mean to you. Y—you're not stupid. You're per…r—really nice"

"Well what you did was very sweet and seeing that face on Regina was hilarious. Here, let me help"

"I—I got it"

She took one of the boxes. Their hands touched for a second. She felt this intense spark. Ezra seemed to get the same reaction. She wondered what caused it. Carrying the box, she went into the storage room. She thanked Ezra again for his help with the Regina situation. When she finally got her lunch break, she headed to Granny's diner. Henry was sitting at their usual table. Ruby walked over with a cup of hot chocolate and an iced tea.

"He ordered for you already"

"My cute boyfriend knows me well" joked Faye.

"Sorry, Henry. Quick girl talk. So are you coming out with me, Jane, Ash, and Mar tonight?"

"Don't I always? I am not looking for a new guy though. You and Marissa need to accept that I am with Rob"

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, listen to what happened this morning. So I was helping Ezra carry some boxes"

"He's such a nerd. Why do you talk to him?"

"Ruby, don't start. He's a nice guy. Anyway, our hands touched and there was like a spark"

Ruby called it nothing. She assumed it was just static electricity from the boxes. Faye was unsure of what to believe. When Ruby left to serve another table, she turned to Henry. He looked intrigued by their conversation. Referencing his book, he thought that Emma's return was beginning to break the curse. He said that Faye and Ezra could have been close friends in the past and that spark related to their connection. A small part of her started to think he could be right. Ruby brought over their food. Faye asked Henry about Emma. His eyes seemed to light up. He spoke excitedly about her. Deep down, Faye hoped that she would stay in Storybrooke. Henry was just very happy around her, which he rarely was with Regina.

"So with this book, what fairytale am I?"

"I don't know yet"

"Maybe I'm a character that hasn't been written about"

After her shift at the hospital, Faye returned home. Dinner was already on the table with lit candles. Robert left the kitchen. She smiled.

"You made dinner?"

"Regina sent me home early. I heard about what happened. She was out of line. You were just helping Henry because you have a good heart"

He handed her a jewelry box. She opened it, seeing a diamond tennis bracelet.

"It's beautiful, Rob"

"Not as beautiful as you"

Faye put it on her wrist. They sat at the table, eating dinner. Robert picked up his glass, letting out a small chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Regina told me something funny. She said something is going on between you and that geek who helps at the hospital…Eli?"

Faye rolled her eyes. Regina would often bring up random things to Robert. If Faye so much as looked at another guy, she claimed that she was cheating. Robert never believed her lies.

"Ezra"

"Yea, the little mouse. I heard he spends all of his time volunteering because he has no friends"

"Rob, I don't like when you make fun of him. Devon's really sweet"

He looked at her, confused. "Devon? Who's Devon?"

"I meant Ezra. I'm really tired from working all day. My mind's all cluttered"

The name just naturally came to her. There was no one named Devon in the town. As Robert talked about an event in the mayor's office, Faye pretended to listen, instead trying to figure out where she heard that name…

* * *

**A/N: With Storybrooke, I am not going to spend a ton of time on their lives during the curse. I'm going to have a few chapters on it, referencing various events from the show, because I don't want to just re-hash season 1. Like they do on the show, I picked the cursed names and jobs for a reason. Aria's cursed name could be a clue to her identity and I picked her job as a doctor because she used to be a healer. Ezra is Devon and his full name fits with both his cursed and real identity. His first name means helper and that relates to him volunteering. His last name, which is Hale, means "hero", which references his past self as a knight. I made Devon very different as his cursed self, where he's shy and quiet, because it would fit with what Regina wanted from the curse. Before the curse, there was an animosity between Aria and Regina, still shown in Storybrooke, so she wanted Aria to not have Devon in her life, someone who was very important to her in the past. Robert's job as Regina's aide in the mayor's office should give a clue to his enchanted forest identity too. Also, I wanted Faye to be close to Henry because I think she and Emma have very similar personalities where they're both fighters and don't let others push them around. I paralleled that connection that Faye and Ezra had to the one between Mary Margaret and David, though it is not in a romantic way.  
**


	8. Valentine's Day

-February- Over the past few months, things seemed to be changing in Storybrooke. John Doe, a patient at the hospital who had been comatose for years, awoke one night and left the hospital in a daze. His actual name was David Nolan. When Emma and Graham got David back to the hospital safely, his wife Katherine seemed to magically appear. Faye found it strange that she never visited the hospital before to check on him. When she questioned Regina about it, she was simply told to focus on her job. Other things that happened included her friend Ashley having her baby and reuniting with her ex-boyfriend Sean and Graham dying from a sudden heart attack. With his passing, Emma took over as sheriff after running against Sidney, the head of the newspaper. Due to Faye's close relationship with Henry, she got to know Emma better. She was a very guarded person who had issues with trusting people. Faye could see that she had started to care for Henry. She and Emma bonded over Regina's hatred for them. After a while, Emma opened up to her about her worry that Henry was going crazy with his fairytale theory. Her worry became worse when Henry snuck down to the mines, thinking it would lead to this other world. Faye encouraged her to support him even if she did not believe in it herself. Robert did not approve of her friendship with Emma. The slandering of her in the newspaper, mostly likely pushed by Regina, made him see her as nothing more than a lowly criminal. She was unsure if he actually believed that or pretended to in order to keep his job.

Faye had been having very odd dreams every night. She imagined herself in this other world, living in a castle and wearing medieval-style dresses. In her dreams, she would see her friends like Jane and Marissa but other people as well like Ezra. She referred to him as Devon in the dreams and he acted very different, being far more brave. Robert was there sometimes but she would treat him coldly, calling him Alec. The dreams started with just mere flashes but had now become full images. In a recent one, she was meeting a giant and showing him things like a harp. Not wanting to sound crazy, she kept it to herself. She thought it was just from stress at the hospital. That spark with Ezra kept happening. He would sometimes slip out of his stutter and talk like the Devon in her dreams. This connection made her feel drawn to him. She had just entered Granny's diner. One of the doctors fell ill so she offered to take their early shift. Mary Margaret was sitting at a table across from David, both reading books. They would sneak little glances. Faye knew that they were having feelings for each other though they denied it. Ruby looked between the two of them and made a heart symbol with her hands. Faye stifled a laugh. Emma sat at the table while Faye pulled up a chair.

"Faye, you're not working again, are you?" asked Mary Margaret, surprised.

"Alicia is still sick. I offered"

"Do you ever plan on sleeping?"

Ruby gave her a cinnamon latte. Emma asked Mary Margaret about her lesson plan for the day. Faye knew that she really wanted to know about Henry. After Emma tried to expose Regina for some scam only to be proven wrong, Regina prohibited her from seeing Henry. Mary Margaret claimed that Henry was doing fine. After a few looks from Emma, she admitted that he missed her.

"Trust me, I see him for 6 hours a day"

"6 hours? Do you take newborns in your class?"

Ashley entered the diner. Granny took Alexandra from her, smiling. Grabbing another chair, she sat next to Faye. The baby had worn Ashley out. Her hair was a bit messy and there were bags under her eyes. Ashley leaned her head on Faye's shoulder. Lately, Sean spent a lot of time working at the cannery. They barely got to see each other and his constant work left her with the baby all the time. Faye patted her on the shoulder.

"I say this as a friend…you look terrible"

"Do you want to babysit for me? I need some sleep"

"I would but I don't think having a baby around needles and sick patients is safe"

"I just wish we could get married already. He has to work today…on Valentine's day"

"That sucks" said Emma.

Ruby handed a cup of coffee to Ashley. She asked if Ashley, Mary Margaret, and Emma wanted to go to girls' night at the Rabbit Hole, the town bar. Ashley had not been out with them since the baby was born. Granny could watch the baby for the night. Emma looked reluctant, saying she might need to work. She was not the party type. Emma got a call from the sheriff station. She left the diner. Faye urged Mary Marget to come for fun. It took a little nudging to get her to agree. She noticed David glance at Mary Margaret before returning to his book. Checking the time, she decided to get to the hospital. She walked down the street, glancing at her phone. Robert sent her cute little messages for Valentine's day. She smiled, reading them. As she turned around the corner, she bumped into someone. Mr. Gold was in front of her. She apologized for not paying attention.

"It's quite all right, dear. I trust you're having a good Valentine's day"

"So far. We'll see how the day goes"

"I'm sure a girl like you will get many valentines"

From his lapel, he took out a rose. He handed it to her. She smiled.

"Thank you. This is very sweet"

"Enjoy the rest of your day, dear"

Faye spotted Jane and Marissa leaving their apartment. Jane worked at a flower shop while Marissa did waitressing at Granny's. Usually, Jane spent a lot of time at the shop. She had to help her father take care of her three younger siblings, meaning they needed money. It surprised Faye that she was not there already. She walked over to them. They hugged her. Apparently, Jane did not have to work because Mr. Gold confiscated the delivery van yesterday when Mr. French did not give his monthly payment. Mr. French told Jane not to come in until the matter was settled. She noticed the rose.

"Aw, did Rob give you that?"

"Mr. Gold did"

Jane scoffed. "Jerk. I bet he stole it from the van"

"He is so trying to sleep with you"

Faye glared at Marissa. The girls constantly teased her for how Mr. Gold treated her. Marissa would joke that he had a crush on Faye. She pointed out how he was only nice to her and never made her pay rent. Faye punched her shoulder.

"He is not. He's just being nice"

"You're not working again, are you? We wanted to go dress shopping for tonight"

"Sorry, I offered to take Alicia's shifts until she got better. Take my card and get me something" she said, giving her a credit card.

They promised to meet her at her house after her shift. She headed to the hospital. It was a much more stressful day than usual. The whole town seemed to have some kind of ailment. She was trying to reach a box on the top shelf in the storage room. Her short stature made it difficult. Standing on top of a stool, she grabbed the box. The stool wobbled, causing her to fall. Someone caught her. She looked up to see Ezra. Their eyes locked. In her head, an image flashed of her climbing up the side of a tower and Ezra catching her, wearing an outfit similar to a knight.

"Faye"

She snapped back to reality. Ezra looked worried.

"A—are you o—okay?"

"Yes. Thanks for catching me"

Blushing, he put her down.

"Are you doing anything for Valentine's day?"

"N—no. I um…I t—think I'm going to j—just stay home"

"That's no fun. Come out with me and my friends to the bar"

"I—I don't think t—they'll l—like that"

"They won't mind. You shouldn't be alone on Valentine's Day. Please, for me?"

Ezra nodded. She smiled and left the storage room. After her shift, she returned home. Jane and Marissa arrived to get ready for tonight. Marissa gave her a new dress. It was a black leather v-neck mini that stopped at her upper thigh. As she put on a pair of heels, arms wrapped around her from behind. Robert kissed her neck. She giggled.

"Rob, let me get ready"

"The guys and I will meet you there once I'm done with my meeting"

"Okay. Listen, I invited Ezra to come"

His smile faltered. "Why?"

"To be nice. You'd like him if you got to know him better"

She pouted, playing with his collar. Robert sighed. He promised to be civil to Ezra. Once she got dressed, she headed to the bar with Jane and Marissa. They met up with their friends at a table. Mary Margaret loosened up a bit. She rarely went out to bars with them. They were drinking multiple shots while she settled for a single martini. Ruby tried to get Ashley to flirt with some guys. Ashley argued that she was dating Sean. Ruby rolled her eyes. She grabbed Faye and Marissa, pulling them towards the cute guys. They were a force to be reckoned with in Storybrooke, all three being pretty and flirtatious. The guys kept buying them drinks. She spotted Ezra entering the bar. Happily, she went over to him. He was wearing a polo shirt with jeans.

"Ezra, you came"

"Y—yea, I—I didn't um re—really know what t—to wear"

"You look fine. Don't worry about it"

Ezra took out a jewelry box from his pocket. He said it was a gift to thank her for being so nice to him. She opened the box. Inside was a pair of blue-green earrings.

"T—they're not that e—expensive b—but they…r—remind me of your eyes"

"They're really pretty"

Faye put in the earrings. She hugged him. Someone cleared their throat. Robert was in the doorway. To her surprise, he kissed her forcefully. It caught her off guard. Ezra was staring awkwardly at the floor. Robert looked at the earrings, asking where she got them. She told him that Ezra bought them for her. He glared at Ezra. Her eyes widened when he shoved him roughly. His friends sniggered.

"Why the hell are you buying something for my girlfriend?"

"Rob, stop it"

"Faye's mine"

"Y—you d—don't deserve her"

Robert snarled. Faye kept him from breaking Ezra's neck. She stayed between them. Robert left the bar. She turned to Ezra.

"Why did you say that to him?"

"You don't h—hear what he says w—when y—you're not around. H—he acts like he owns you"

No one ever told her that before. Did Robert really treat her like some kind of property? She thought Ezra misunderstood. It was typical of guys to brag to their friends, especially about girlfriends. Unsure of what to say, she followed after Robert. He was sitting on a bench. Reluctantly, she went over to him. She worried that they were going to argue. He rarely got angry over her talking to guys. She had no idea what made Ezra different.

"Rob, I'm not cheating on you. Ezra's just a friend"

"I know you're not"

"Then why are you freaking out? They're just earrings"

"Because he's right. I don't deserve you"

Faye sat on his lap. "That's not true. I love you, Rob. You're the only person I want to be with and no one can tell me different"

He sighed. "I'm sorry. Regina's been getting in my head. I know I shouldn't listen but after hearing it every day…"

Faye knew that Regina had to be behind this problem. She was losing her patience. His phone rang. Kyle, another aide, sent him a text. Regina wanted him to check on some files for her. She was busy at the sheriff's station. Earlier this evening, Mr. Gold kidnapped Mr. French for stealing his belongings. Emma caught him beating the man with his cane and locked him up at the station. Faye said she would meet Robert at home. While he headed to the mayor's office, she walked to the sheriff's station. She could not let this woman mess with her relationship. As she walked down the corridor, she heard Regina speaking to Mr. Gold. He was sitting in one of the cells. She stayed hidden behind the wall. Regina asked him about his name.

"What about moments spent elsewhere?"

Mr. Gold had never left Storybrooke. Regina was acting as though he had another identity.

"If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name"

There was a small smile on his face. "Rumplestiltskin"

Faye thought it must be the alcohol messing with her head. Rumplestiltskin was a character in a fairytale. Regina looked displeased. She took out a porcelain teacup. Mr. Gold snatched it from her. He held onto it carefully.

"Thank you, your majesty. Now that we've been honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? Don't let the bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'll be out of here in no time and nothing will change between us"

Regina smirked. "We shall see"

Faye entered the office. "Dr. Basilia, what are you"

She punched her across the face. Regina fell to the floor. The ring of her hand made a small cut on her cheek. Holding her cheek, she stood up. She looked furious.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Stop messing with my life. I never did anything to you. If you keep it up, we are going to have a problem"

"I am going to have you arrested, you insolent child"

"Actually, you're not. See, if you try to, I will fake medical records that say Henry suffered injuries under your care. I will get Archie to deem you an unfit parent and then you'll lose Henry, probably to Emma"

"Dr. Hopper would never do such a thing"

"I think he would. He's like any other man. I show up in his office, wear a revealing little outfit…you did call me a tease, Regina. So why not use those skills to my advantage?"

Regina was silent. She could tell that Faye looked serious. With a sneer, she left the station. Faye had wanted to do that to Regina for a long time. It felt good. Mr. Gold was watching her from the cell. She blushed.

"Sorry. She just…she doesn't stop. I don't know why she hates me so much"

"I wouldn't fret about it, dear. Soon enough, she won't have power over you"

Faye looked at him, curiously. "Go enjoy the rest of your night"

She left the station and returned home to spend the night with Robert…


	9. The Curse Breaks

-March- The past few weeks had been some of the most hectic in Storybrooke. Katherine found out that David and Mary Margaret were having an affair. Most of the town shunned her for being a homewrecker. Faye and her friends stayed by her side. She knew that Mary Margaret was not that kind of person. Mary Margaret admitted to the affair but said that David had promised to tell his wife the truth and leave her. Katherine then went missing by the town line, her car empty. Ruby, who had a fight with Granny, worked for a short time as Emma's assistant. They found a jewelry box by the toll bridge, containing a human heart. The lab tests said it belonged to Katherine and the fingerprints on the box matched Mary Margaret's. With the evidence, including a knife found in her apartment, Emma had to take her into custody. Faye found it all very suspicious. Mary Margaret was the last person to suspect of murder. The woman could not even hurt a fly. A few days ago, Katherine reappeared, disoriented and alive. She claimed that she had no idea who kidnapped her, just remembering being in a dark basement. Her return proved Mary Margaret's innocence. Outside of all that mess, there were some good things. A mysterious stranger arrived in the town. He was a handsome author named August Booth. Faye noticed that he took a special interest in Emma.

After Faye's argument with Regina, it turned into an all-out war between them. They could not even look at each other without one of them instigating an argument. Regina went so far as to attempt to seduce Robert in her office. She kept pinning little incidents on Faye, hoping to get her arrested and thrown out of town. Robert urged Faye to make peace with her. She argued that it was all Regina's fault. Angry that he thought she caused this animosity, she spent more time at the hospital, which meant more time around Ezra. She apologized for Robert's actions at the bar. Ezra partially blamed himself. He said that he never meant to cause trouble between them. When she talked to him about the feud with Regina, he sided with Faye. He thought that Regina was just jealous of her. Last night, Faye got called into the hospital for an emergency while out at the bar. Henry slipped into some weird coma. Emma told Faye that he ate an apple turnover, a treat from Regina since Emma decided to leave town. When he took one bite, he fell unconscious. No one could find any source of poison in his body. Faye was in Henry's room. He had all sorts of wires connected to his chest. His skin looked ghostly pale. She touched his hand. It was ice-cold. Mary Margaret entered the room.

"Is he any better?"

"He's stable but we still can't figure out why he's like this. I've never seen anything like it before"

She picked up the fairytale book from his bedside table.

"I'm going to read to him. I know he won't hear me but he loves these stories"

"Do you know where Emma is?"

"No idea"

"I'll be back. I'm going to get something at home for him"

Faye returned to her home. Getting on her knees, she reached under the bed. She pulled out a small box. Opening it, she saw an assortment of items. She dug through the box. After a few minutes, she found a teddy bear dressed like a fairy. Henry gave it to her after she stopped some older boys from bullying him at the school. He said that it fit her name, reminding him of fairies. She doubted it would snap him out of his coma but it might trigger something. Robert walked into the room. He tossed his jacket aside.

"I just came home to get something. I need to get back"

Robert grabbed her waist. "He's in a coma. You can take your time"

"Rob, Henry needs"

He cut her off, kissing her. She heard her phone vibrating. It was the hospital. Faye got worried, thinking it might be Henry. She pushed him back lightly.

"Henry could be getting worse. That's the emergency number"

"There are other doctors. I haven't seen you since yesterday"

"He's a little more important than your need for sex, Rob"

Robert lifted her up, pinning her to the wall. He begged for five minutes. Before she could protest, he kissed her again. This time, it was more forceful. His hand slid up her skirt. She gave in, knowing he was a lot stronger than her. If she let him have his five minutes, he would be satisfied and let her leave. She mentally cursed at him for being such a typical guy. Suddenly, this gust of wind blew through the house. Millions of thoughts raced through her mind. Her eyes fluttered open. Aria freaked out, seeing someone kiss her. She shoved them back roughly. It was Alec. She remembered everything from the curse. It had her in a relationship with him. She saw memories of them in bed together. It took everything in her not to vomit. If she remembered her real self, Emma somehow broke the curse. Her fists clenched, her nails digging into her skin.

"Unless you want me to snap your neck, you better run, you son of a bitch!"

"Aria, I don't know why you're so angry. You clearly enjoyed our time together" he replied, smirking.

Aria grabbed a pair of scissors from the table. Alec noticed the fire in her eyes. He ran out of the room. She chased after him. He locked himself in a closet in the main hallway. She banged on the door, angrily.

"Get out of there, you coward! Don't think I can't break this down! I am going to make you suffer!"

Outside, she noticed a purple smoke billowing through the town. It flowed through an open window. As the smoke passed her, she winced. She leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Her hand clutched the heart charm on her necklace. Almost instantly, she calmed down.

"You know what? I'm done. I'm leaving. I would rather live on the street!"

She slammed the front door. Quietly, she hid near the closet. Alec opened the door. He checked around the hallway and sighed with relief. As he stepped out from the closet, she jumped onto his back. She tugged on his hair hard. Trying to dodge the scissors, he stumbled through the hallway. Scissors were nothing compared to a sword. She resorted to scratching him. Her nails dug into his face, leaving a cut across his eye. They fell out an open side door. Aria was thrown off of his back. She jammed the scissors into his leg. He cried out in pain. Aria tackled him, causing them to end up in the street. She held the scissors to his neck. Both were breathing heavily. Alec did not look the least bit remorseful.

"We've been in this position a lot for the past 28 years. Only we were wearing far less clothing"

She snarled, ready to slit his throat. "You are the lowest scum I've ever met!"

"Aria?"

Devon ran over to her. He took the scissors from her and helped her up. Glaring at Alec, he gave him a warning. He suggested that Alec find a safe place to hide. If Devon found him again, it would be his last few moments alive. Alec winked at her. Aria struggled against Devon's grip as Alec disappeared down the street. He told her that they would have more than enough opportunities to get revenge. She saw a small group heading towards them, consisting of Emma, Henry, Snow, David, Annabeth, Ruby, Granny, the Blue Fairy, and the dwarves. She got crushed in hugs by her friends from back home. Annabeth held onto her for the longest time. Snow sighed in relief.

"Aria, thank goodness you're all right. We were worried"

"Aria? That's your name?" asked Henry.

She nodded. "I was right. You and Ezra were friends"

"But I'm guessing you and Robert weren't" said Emma.

Aria found it difficult to balance their real and cursed names. She knew that Ezra must be Devon, which explained why her cursed self called him that a few times. Robert was clearly Alec. David asked about them being together. Aria remembered that Alec mentioned a deal to Regina right before the curse. As it hit the castle, he kissed her. She assumed the deal had been that their cursed selves were a couple. Devon's grip on her tightened. He looked furious. They were going to see Mr. Gold to understand what had just happened. Somehow, magic arrived in Storybrooke. Devon kept his arm around her. She leaned on his shoulder.

"I missed you" she whispered.

"I missed you too. Regina was wrong though. We didn't lose our happy endings. Even cursed, we still had each other…even if it took a while. Jane and Marissa are okay. I was with them when the curse broke. They wanted to check on their families"

Snow looked elated to be reunited with Emma. Aria was glad that the family was back together again. Henry hugged her waist.

"Thanks for taking care of me, Aria"

With her memories returned, Aria figured that Henry had been under a sleeping curse. She messed with his hair.

"I'm happy that you're safe. Never eat anything with apples again, okay?"

Snow was attempting to get to know about Emma's life. Emma suggested that they talk later over multiple bottles of wine. Aria could tell that this was a lot for her to handle too. She had grown up in this world. Finding out her parents came from another world was not easy information. Emma said that she needed time to understand everything. A mob of people ran across the street. All of them looked angry. Archie rushed over to them.

"I need your help. Dr. Whale's gotten everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house. They're going to kill her"

"Good. Let's watch" said Leroy.

"We cannot sink to her level. Regardless of what she's done, killing is wrong"

Henry looked anxious. He pleaded for them to help, saying that Regina was still his mother. David agreed, worried that she could do a lot of damage with her magic. They went to Regina's house. The mob was already there. Regina moved her hands, about to use magic. Surprisingly, it did not work. Dr. Whale forced her against one of the pillars. Emma pushed through the crowd, telling him to let her go. She said that she was still in charge as sheriff. Aria held onto Henry, protectively.

"No matter what Regina did, it does not justify this" said Snow.

"We're not murderers here"

"We're not from this world"

"Well you're in it"

David got in his face, threatening him to back off. Dr. Whale scoffed. When David asked who he really was, he did not answer. Snow got everyone to calm down. She told the angered residents that Regina's death would solve nothing. Instead, they would lock her up until they figured out a solution. David grabbed Regina, bringing her to the sheriff's station. He put her in a cell, locking it. Regina did not look very worried. He questioned why they remained here if the curse broke. She claimed that the land was destroyed. Aria did not trust her. Regina could easily be lying. Once they left the sheriff's station, Emma decided to leave Henry at Granny's for protection. David wanted Aria to come with them to Mr. Gold's. If anyone could ensure him to be honest, it was her. Devon looked worried. She kissed his cheek.

"I'll be back once we're done. Keep Henry safe"

"Promise. I won't let anyone hurt him"

Aria left the diner with Emma, Snow, and David. Snow kept making these hopeful expressions on her face. David and Aria exchanged a quick glance. Snow stopped Emma, wanting to talk about them as a family. It was not a very cheerful discussion. Emma said that she grew up without any family. When Snow said they sent her away to give her a good chance, Emma countered that even if cursed, they would have been together. David grabbed Snow's hand, consolingly. They reached the antiques shop. Mr. Gold was pouring a cup of tea. Emma threatened to punch him in the face if he did not answer her questions. She asked what the purple smoke had been that moved through the town. He said it was magic.

"Why?"

"Not telling"

"You know, it would be a shame not to tell us what we need. Someone could hurt Aria with this magic or without it. She's probably the only person you've ever been kind to and people know that" said David.

Mr. Gold glared slightly. David knew that the threat would work. Before they could get answers, the shop began to shake violently. Outside, the sky turned pitch-black. A thunderstorm started, raining heavily. The gusting wind caused the trees to bend and lamp posts to shatter.

"That is my gift to you, Miss Swan. That is going to take care of Regina"

"We're not done here"

"Oh, I know. You still owe me that favor"

Emma, Snow, and David left the shop. Aria crossed her arms.

"You brought a wraith here. I recognize the signs that one is nearby"

He chuckled. "You always were an intelligent one"

"Are you insane? It could attack half the town"

"Aria, do not go with them. Stay here. There's someone in the back who you'll be happy to see"

"I'm not letting them face this alone"

She ran towards the sheriff's station. The wind almost knocked her down. David and Snow were near the Town Hall. She went over to them. To her confusion, they had brooms. David said they could work as torches. It turned out that Mr. Gold marked Regina with a medallion. The wraith would not leave until it had her soul. Aria knew that it could be repelled by fire or light. She took one of the brooms. They entered the Town Hall together. Emma and Regina were in the middle of the council room. Regina had a top hat in her hands. She explained that it could create a portal to banish the wraith to an unknown realm. The lights flickered in the building. David used a lighter to set fire to the brooms. Regina tried to make the hat work. Magic was more complicated here. The wraith burst into the room. It was a dark cloaked figure with grey, scaly hands and red eyes. They used the brooms to push it back. Suddenly, the hat began to spin around. It created this swirling purple vortex. The wraith was heading for Regina and Emma. Quickly, Aria pushed them aside. The wraith knocked into her, causing her to fall into the portal. Her head slammed into something hard, knocking her out…


	10. Finding the Wardrobe

-The next day- Aria's eyes fluttered open. There was a sharp pain in the side of her head. She found herself in front of a partially destroyed castle. The walls were overrun with vines and plants. It looked like no one had been there in a long time. She was under a pile of rubble. Pushing it aside, she stood up. This was part of the Enchanted Forest. She knew Regina had been lying. Smoke rose from a nearby island. It was connected by a stretch of land. Aria spotted a sword on the ground near a stone platform. She grabbed it for protection. It took her nearly fifteen minutes to reach the island. To her surprise, she found a small village. There were actual people walking around.

"Aria!"

Snow rushed over to her with Emma. Both hugged Aria tightly. She did not understand how they got here.

"Aria, we were looking for you. I worried that you got sent somewhere else"

"You came through the portal?"

"Emma fell in…the wraith had grabbed her leg. I jumped in after her"

Aria questioned them about the village. It turned out that not everyone was taken by Regina's curse. Somehow, the people in this part of the land stayed behind. They had been frozen in time until Emma broke the curse in Storybrooke. The village acted as a safe haven. Lancelot, an old guard of King George's, was the leader. Aria knew him before she even met David or Snow. He was not a full-time knight in the royal guard, only used for very important tasks. Lancelot would tell her stories about his adventures as part of the Round Table. When they fell through the portal, a warrior named Mulan and Aurora, a princess who had been under a sleeping curse, found them. They forced them to the village, thinking that they brought the wraith to the land. Snow warned her that Cora was in the underground prison. Aria never met Cora in person, only hearing horrible stories from others. The woman was Regina's mother, which meant she was not an innocent little angel. Snow thought of a plan to get back to Storybrooke. Lancelot agreed to let them go if they brought Mulan along. The ogres returned to the land as well, making travel dangerous. They walked over to a woman dressed in warrior gear. Snow told her that Aria was a friend of theirs who fell through the portal too. She showed them a basket filled with weapons. Aria grabbed a holster for the sword, tying it around her waist, along with a large knife and a pouch. She hid the knife in her boot. Emma looked at the sword.

"Can you handle that?"

"Just worry about any idiots who try to stop us"

Mulan was watching her, intrigued. "You dress very strangely in this other world"

Aria glanced down at her outfit. Out of the three of them, she did not have the best attire for a journey in the forest. Her clothes consisted of a blue v-neck top with short sleeves and a shredded appearance in the back, a black tiered mini skirt that stopped at her upper thighs, black fingerless gloves that reached half-way up her arm, floral-patterned lace tights, and black knee-high boots. She never had time to change when the hospital called about Henry. Snow stifled a laugh.

"Yea. They don't need to fight ogres there"

Emma was a bit nonchalant about the ogres. She did not understand the true dangers in this land. It was far different from Storybrooke. Mulan did not look pleased. She told her how ogres could kill a person with ease. They followed Mulan through the village. Snow whispered about her plan. She thought of using the wardrobe back at the castle, the one that sent Emma to Maine. It was possible that it survived the curse and could transport them. Snow did not want anyone else to know about the idea. She was unsure of who to trust. They began to walk through the forest. Mulan wanted to set up camp in a clearing before it got too dark. Snow told Emma to stay there while they fetched water and some wood. Aria went with Snow. She used the sword to cut a few branches.

"She'll be fine, Snow. She's just out of her element"

"I hope everyone in Storybrooke is okay"

"David's there. He'll keep Regina in line. She's not as powerful"

"For now. Who knows what could happen?"

Night fell in the forest. It was much harder to see anything. Aria decided to search for some herbs and plants while Snow brought back the wood. As she put them into the pouch, she heard a gun shot. She knew it had to be Emma, who must have forgotten their warning that ogres hunt by sound. There were a couple of load roars, shaking the trees. She hurried back towards the clearing. There was a girl her age trying to run away. Her silk purple dress got snagged on low branches. As she struggled to free herself, an ogre advanced towards her. She whimpered. Aria climbed a nearby tree. Once she was at a branch at the same height as the ogre, she jumped onto its back and jabbed the sword into its eye. The ogre staggered back and fell to the ground. Aria got up, breathing heavily. She pulled the sword out of the ogre. The girl was laying on the ground, wide-eyed. Holding out her hand, Aria helped her up.

"Y—you saved me. Thank you…"

"Aria"

"I'm Aurora"

She smiled kindly. "We're going to be good friends"

"We are?"

"Of course. Our names both start with an A. That means something" she joked.

Aurora looked a bit bewildered. "I'm guessing you're not used to being in the forest" said Aria.

"I—I wanted revenge. Phillip, my true love, was killed by the wraith those two women brought here. Are they your friends?"

"Yea, but it's okay. I understand what it's like to lose someone you love"

Mulan, Snow, and Emma emerged from the trees. Seeing Aurora, Mulan checked her for any injuries. She thanked Aria for protecting her. They returned to the clearing.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

"Almost got squashed by an ogre…a typical day here, right?"

"Pretty much" she said with a small laugh.

After taking a rest for the night, they continued on their journey. The castle was far from the village. Aurora acted like a typical sheltered princess, naïve to the world. Her dress made it difficult to walk through the forest. It kept getting caught on something. Aria stayed behind with her to keep her company. She learned that before time froze, a witch named Maleficent put her under a sleeping curse. Phillip, a prince and her love, woke her up once the curse in Storybrooke broke. The wraith appeared and when it vanished, Phillip accidentally got marked by the medallion. Aria consoled her when she talked about it killing him. By the time it got dark, they reached the castle. It looked completely different from how she remembered. The castle was mostly destroyed. They went inside, going up to the room with the wardrobe. It was supposed to be Emma's nursery. Mulan and Aurora stayed behind as guards. The wardrobe remained intact. Snow reminisced about wanting to teach Emma things in here like how to walk and talk. She got a bit teary-eyed. Aria picked up a toy dragon among the rubble.

"I was going to give this to you when you were born. You don't have much use for it now"

"It's a…nice toy"

"It was enchanted to be a protector. If anyone tried to hurt you, it would make them very sorry"

They examined the wardrobe. It was sapped of its magic. Snow said they would bring it back to the safe haven and hopefully, someone knew enough magic to enchant it.

"Or fairy dust. I know a place we could get it" said Aria, touching the wooden doors.

"Let an old friend help"

Lancelot entered the nursery. He looked the same as he did 28 years ago. To her confusion, he did not even acknowledge her. He would always give her these big bone-crushing hugs. Something was off about him. Warily, she kept a hand on the handle of her sword. Lancelot looked very interested in the wardrobe. Snow questioned why he cared so much about it.

"I just want to see you get back to your husband and your son…Henry"

Snow took out her sword, keeping Aria and Emma behind her. "Stay away from him. He's not who he says he is"

"Who the hell is he?" asked Emma.

"You only told one person here Henry's name"

"Cora"

Lancelot was enveloped in purple smoke. As it cleared, she saw an older woman in a long-sleeved ornate blue dress. She had similar features to Regina. Despite the smile on her face, Cora gave off this aura of evil. She told them how she killed Lancelot and posed as him in the safe haven. Snow moved to attack her. Cora was too quick, using magic to pin her to the wall. The sword clattered to the floor. Emma and Aria were knocked aside. Cora told Snow that she wanted to get to Storybrooke to see Regina again. Aria nodded her head towards the wardrobe. Emma tried to get to it. The rug wrapped around her legs, knocking her down. She took out a bullet from her pocket, unloading the powder onto the wardrobe. Aria opened the heart charm on her necklace. There was sparkling blue dust inside. She poured a tiny amount into her hand and snuck up behind the wardrobe. Emma set it on fire. Cora got rid of some of the flames, creating a fireball. She threw it at Emma. Mulan jumped in front, deflecting it with her sword.

"Hey!"

Cora turned around. Aria threw the dust into her face. It paralyzed her for a few seconds. Aria pulled the rug, causing Cora to fall onto the floor. Aria grabbed her sword, pointing it at her. Cora stood up, angrily.

"We are not done here"

She vanished from the room. The enchantment holding Snow ceased.

"Aria, you had fairy dust?"

"Only a small amount. I wish I had more" she lied.

The fire had destroyed the wardrobe. They would need to find another portal. Mulan cursed herself for being fooled by Cora's deception. She worried about what to tell the people at the safe haven. They would be frightened that their leader had been that witch in disguise. Snow said that they would tell the truth, how he died an honorable death. Mulan promised that she and Aurora would help them return to Storybrooke. Aria headed up to her room. She pulled up a floorboard, removing a tiny vial. It was empty. Suddenly, a small fire started in front of her. She used the pitcher of water to douse the flames.

"He's going to be so mad" she whispered.

"Aria?"

Snow was in the doorway. "What are you doing in here?"

"I thought I had some more dust hidden here. I thought it could be useful. The vial's empty"

"We don't need fairy dust. Everything will be fine"

Aria simply nodded. Following Snow, she bit her lip lightly. She clutched the charm on her necklace…


	11. Meeting Hook Again

-Three days later- Aria was heading back to the Safe Haven. After the incident with Cora, she split off from the group. Midas's kingdom was close to the castle. Being sent there for months, she learned a lot about Midas, including his secret treasure room. She suggested that he could have magical items hidden in the room, enough to create a portal out of something. Snow worried about her being off on her own. Aria assured her that she was more than capable of handling herself. She promised to be back within three days at the safe haven. The journey proved pointless. Any magical items she found had been destroyed from the curse. She still gathered supplies in her pouch, knowing their stay here could be long. As she walked, she spotted uprooted trees. That meant ogres were nearby. She continued through the forest with caution. Suddenly, she heard a loud whistle. She silently hoped that Emma did not make the same mistake twice. Following the sound, she entered the village. It was littered with bodies, all missing their hearts. She recognized this kind of magic. It had to be Cora. She spotted the others a bit farther from the village.

They were surrounding a large oak tree. Tied to the tree, she saw Hook. Her eyes widened slightly. He was wearing an over-sized tattered robe that covered most of his body. She did not see his hook on his left hand. His appearance was very bizarre. Knowing his personality, she assumed it to be some kind of ruse. Emma interrogated him. Like Aria, Emma could read people well. She would not fall for Hook's charm easily. Looking at his clothing, far different from the leather he had on the last time she saw him, she realized that he pretended to be a survivor to gain sympathy. Scum like him must be working with Cora. Aria bit her lip to stifle a laugh. She found it funny that this dangerous pirate was beaten by a couple of girls. The ogres' roars got louder. She could hear bits of their conversation. Cora wanted Hook to gain their trust, like Aria guessed. She had salvaged the ashes of the wardrobe, which still contained the enchantment. The ashes could open up a portal but Cora wanted Hook to learn more about Storybrooke. Attempting to keep a straight face, she walked over to them. Hook snarled at the sight of her.

"You"

Aria decided to tease him a little. She feigned an innocent expression.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Snow looked between them. Hook had a furious expression on his face. If the ropes did not keep him tied down, he would be strangling Aria. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"See, you look like this guy I know but…oh no way, Captain Eyebrows, is that you? I should have recognized you, tied up and beaten by a girl"

He glared daggers at her. Snow realized they had somehow met before. She told Aria about a compass needed to guide them through the portal. Hook knew its location and offered to take them there. In exchange, he would go with them to Storybrooke.

"Here's an alternative. I'll walk you through it slowly because you might have trouble following. You tell us the location, we go get the compass, and you stay here"

"You think I would tell you that easily?"

"Fair point. I could just chop off your other hand and then you could get a job as a coat hanger"

The ogres were only a mile away. Emma held a knife under his chin. She threatened him to tell them why he wanted to go to Storybrooke. If it was a lie, they would leave him to die. He told her that he wanted revenge on Rumplestiltskin for taking his hand. Aria rolled her eyes. Emma looked at her and Snow. Both were aware that this could be a trap. On the other hand, he seemed so adamant for revenge that he might be telling the truth. Snow nodded. Aria cut down the ropes and tied his hands together.

"Untie me"

She scoffed. "Not likely. We need some way to keep you in check"

The others headed down the hill. She leaned close to his ear.

"Besides, you seem like the type who loves being tied up" she whispered.

"Don't think you're safe, lass. I haven't forgotten that day"

"That's very sweet. It can be like our anniversary"

Aria held onto the rope, pulling him through the forest. There was a short distance between them. Snow questioned her about knowing Hook. Aria was honest about her day in the village when the curse hit. She told them about saving an old man that Hook had been harassing in the forest. Snow smacked her shoulder. Aria winced. She acted like a mother, reprimanding Aria for fighting a pirate. Before she could retort, she heard him make a rude comment at Mulan. Aria tugged the rope to the side. Hook smashed into a tree.

"Apologize or you'll keep hitting trees until you think you are one"

"You cannot order me around like a"

He hit a second tree. "My apologies" he hissed.

Aria continued walking. She heard him hit another tree.

"That was for laughs. Have we learned to be a good little boy?"

He responded with a sneer. Emma asked her about Midas's kingdom. Aria told her that it was mostly empty. She just brought back some supplies to survive out here. They stopped at a small clearing since it would get dark soon. Aria tied the ropes around a wooden pole. It kept Hook from escaping. While Mulan and Aurora went to get more firewood, Emma and Snow searched for water. Aria was starting to get hungry. She grabbed Snow's bow and quiver and a few rocks. Hook was watching her while sitting on the ground.

"What are you doing, Captain Eyebrows?"

"Imagining how I'm going to make you suffer once I am not tied down"

"Chills" she replied, sarcastically.

She pulled the string of the bow back, putting a rock in place. A deer was passing through the trees. She let go of the string. The rock struck a nearby tree, shaking it.

"Oh, you missed" he taunted.

"I didn't"

A flock of birds emerged from the tree. She shot multiple arrows within seconds, striking her target each time. In all, she got 15 birds. She smirked at him. He scowled. She collected the birds and returned to the clearing. Using the fire, she cooked the birds. One upside to Storybrooke was that the food did not have to be killed directly by a person to be eaten. It made her miss hamburgers at the diner. Once the birds were cooked, she pierced one with a stick. She put it in Hook's hand.

"Since you can't move much"

"Such kindness" he said, mockingly.

There was a cut on his chin. "Where did you get that?"

"Perhaps from the trees I frequently hit"

Digging through the pouch, she pulled out an aloe leaf. She broke it in half, releasing a clear gel. Swiping some onto her finger, she reached for his cut. He turned his head, looking wary.

"You're such a baby. It'll heal your cut. Just hold still"

She rubbed the gel onto his chin. "Was that so difficult?"

He was silent. The others returned to the clearing. Aria went over to the fire. Once they had a quick meal, they decided to take a rest for the night. Aria leaned against a tree with Aurora. Hook complained about being uncomfortable. It was like listening to some petulant child. Snow made him swear not to pull any tricks. If he tried to deceive them, they would call for the ogres and leave him to die, his vengeance unfulfilled. He said that he always honored his agreements. She untied him from the post but kept his hands bound. Aria eyed him, gripping the knife in her boot. She was well aware of his anger towards her. He chuckled.

"Afraid of me, love?"

"I've seen fairies scarier than you"

"Perhaps you're nervous that I'll get my revenge on you while you're asleep"

Aurora looked worried. Aria scoffed. She taunted that even in her sleep, she could beat him. Her confidence irked him. Aurora did not like to sleep much. Aria could understand why since she had been under a sleeping curse for so long. She assured Aurora that she would keep her safe. Aria closed her eyes, eventually drifting off to sleep…

~Killian~

Aria was her name. It took him 28 years to find out the name of that girl from the pub. She teased him like some brat. When he first saw her, he wanted to be free from the binding ropes so he could fight her again. The first time had been a fluke. He now knew exactly what to expect from her. Once he had the compass and the other girls in her little group untied him, they would have a proper fight. Those were his initial thoughts. She made it very difficult to stay mad at her when she healed his cut and looked at him with those eyes. He had to keep reminding himself of their fight in the woods on the day the curse hit. Killian was woken up by a rustling between the trees. He stood up quickly. When the curse broke, it led to disarray and panic. Some of the people left behind in the land became scavengers. They would hide in the forest and steal things from anyone they encountered in their path. He learned that they normally came out at night. The scavengers were willing to kill, even if their victim could not defend themselves. He continued to hear the rustling sounds. The girls were all asleep, being easy targets. He could not fight properly with his hands tied together. Glancing at each one, he attempted to figure out who best to wake up. The Swan girl was tough but new to this land. He would have better chances of fighting with a chicken than the sleepy princess. Snow was far too decent, more likely to reason with them. The warrior girl could be helpful but would be bound by honor codes to not harm an innocent. His eyes rested on Aria. As much as he hated to admit it, she was the best choice. She might be the youngest but she proved herself to be very skilled in a fight. He went over to the tree where she and Aurora slept. Bending down, he shook her shoulder…

~Aria~

Aria could hear someone calling her name. It sounded very faint.

"Wake up, lass"

She opened her eyes, drowsy. Hook was in front of her. Quickly, she threw a punch. He held his nose.

"Bloody hell. Are you mad?"

"What the hell are you sneaking up on me for, you creep?"

"Listen to me. We have company"

Hook talked about scavengers hiding in the forest. At times, they could get violent. She stood up, taking out the knife in her boot. It would be better to not wake everyone else up.

"I've encountered them before. Being frozen for all this time addled them a bit"

"Where are they?"

"You won't see them until they're inches from your face"

Aria walked with him to the edge of the clearing. It was extremely dark. A twig snapped behind her. She threw her leg back, connecting with something hard. It was followed by a thud. She turned around to see a teenage girl in tattered clothing, panting on the ground.

"Give it up, sweetie. You're not going to win"

"Are you going to kill me?"

"No. Go before you get hurt"

The girl gave her a grateful look and ran off into the forest. A dozen more emerged from the trees. Aria had to resort to injuring some of them when they tried to kill her with knives and other hand-made weapons. Hook was fighting with an older man. It made it harder for him since he could not use his hands. He kicked at the man's knees and hit him over the head. Stepping on the man's hand, he broke a few fingers. He warned the man to not get up.

"That was all of them. They won't come here again"

"You sound sure about that"

"They're not foolish to try it again. They should leave us alone…at least for a few days"

"Comforting"

Suddenly, someone grabbed her roughly. The man Hook had been fighting held a knife at her cheek.

"Take one step and the pretty girl loses her eyes. Give me everything you've got, lad"

She elbowed the man hard and got behind him. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly. Within a few seconds, he fell unconscious. Hook pushed him on his side with his boot.

"You killed him"

"No"

She pressed her finger under the man's chin. His eyes popped open as he breathed heavily.

"If I see you again, you'll be dead for real"

He ran off into the forest, frightened. She took the knife for herself, hiding it in her boot. Hopefully, Hook was right about the scavengers avoiding them for a while. For a second, he looked almost impressed.

"Interesting trick"

"Don't tell the others about these scavengers. Emma's having a hard time adjusting and Aurora can barely sleep already"

They returned to the small clearing. The others were still fast asleep.

"You were quite impressive…for a girl"

She put her hands on her hips. "For a girl? If you didn't need my help, you wouldn't have woken me up"

As she headed towards Aurora, he put his hands over her head. She was trapped between his arms due to the ropes. He pulled her closer, their bodies pressed together. Even with the over-sized robe, she could feel his muscles. His breath on the back of her neck made her shiver.

"Don't take it as an insult, love. I see that you can more than handle yourself. I did fail to mention that the beanstalk has an enchantment that repels someone from climbing it"

"Failed to—what else are you lying about?"

"It's not a lie, love. It slipped my mind"

"I'm about to slip my fist into your face"

He chuckled. "No worries. Cora gave me a magical cuff to get past it. She was supposed to accompany me but that plan changed. Seeing how skilled you are, I was hoping it'd be you. You would be a pretty face to look at during the climb"

Before she could retort, she felt something on her skin. She glanced down. Blood was dripping down her right arm. It must have been from one of the attackers when she injured them. The blood slipped into the palm of her hand. Her heart raced with fear. She stamped on his foot and slid from his grasp. Trying to maintain her composure, she scrunched her nose.

"I'd rather let the ogres get me. They'd be far more tolerable"

Aria went back to the tree. She wiped the blood away, frantically. Silently, she cursed herself for being careless. Her hand seared with pain as the blood seeped into her skin. A dark circle formed just beneath her fingers. She found it difficult to fall asleep again…


	12. The Seer

-The next day- Aria woke up the next morning, seeing Aurora's head on her lap. The others slowly began to stir. She nudged Aurora's side. Aurora seemed a bit anxious. Aria assured that her dreams could not hurt her. Once they got everything together, they decided to head for the beanstalk. Aria looked at her hand. The single circle had now become five, all intertwined. In the middle of the circles was written '17'. She went over to Snow and Emma.

"The path forks ahead. You guys go to the right for the beanstalk. I'm going in the other direction"

They looked at her, confused. "Why? Aria, we can't separate"

"Snow, it's fine. We're running low on medicine and one of the kingdoms I used to visit is close…just a few hours away. He had a whole room devoted to spices and herbs. Besides, Aurora's having trouble sleeping and I want to make her something to help her. I'll meet you at the beanstalk"

"But"

"I'll be back before dark"

Snow warned her that Cora could be lurking around the forest. Aria knew to be careful. As she poured water into a flask for her quick journey, she felt someone watching her. She turned around to see Hook.

"What are you doing? Why are you going off on your own?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Medicine"

"You're lying"

"Look who's talking, Mr. 'Oh hey, forgot to mention that you can't climb the beanstalk without my super magical cuff'. I think you'll be fine. Just get the compass. If something happens to any of them while I'm gone, I'll make you very sorry"

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise"

Aria headed down the path. She was glad that Snow did not know all of the kingdoms. There were none in this part of the land. She continued walking for what felt like forever. Finally, she stopped in a small, run-down village. Everything was burnt and the huts looked like they would topple from one touch. She went over to a blackened tree. It reached such a tall height that it seemed to touch the sky. She tapped the trunk three times. Nothing happened. She did it again.

"I know you're here. This is how you get summoned. I'm not playing this game. Come out"

"I have"

The sound of a deep voice made her jump. There was an elderly man behind the tree. His eyes had been sewn shut and he wore frayed robes. The man's body shook with each step. He leaned one hand against the tree to steady himself. Aria crossed her arms over her chest. His other hand moved in front of him, revealing an eye.

"I was expecting you"

"I'm sure you were. What the hell is this?" she asked, showing the mark on her palm.

"Your fate. When we last spoke, I informed you that"

"Yea, yea, I remember. I was 3 and picking flowers. Then, creepy old you walked over to me with the eyes on your hands and the whole ominous talk about my future. This goes against what you told me"

"Blood of an innocent triggered its beginning"

Aria scoffed. That scavenger had been far from innocent. He almost sliced off her face with his axe. If she had not stopped him, she would be dead. The seer claimed his intentions were purely for survival, not malice.

"You cannot escape fate, my dear…no matter how much you tried to prevent it"

"So what is this number? What's 17?"

"The number of days you have left until you must make your choice"

Her eyes widened. He had to be kidding. Aria told him to make it longer. She had no idea how long she might be stuck here. There was no way she could handle this on her own.

"It is written so shall it be. The number is not decided by me…but by your fate"

"You're a seer. What choice do I make?"

"The right one"

Aria scowled. These damn seers were never helpful. They just gave impossible riddles. He warned her to be cautious. Even if she had 17 days, she could still cause trouble. He went into one of the charred huts. She leaned her head against the tree. When she was a little girl, before her mother's death, she had been in the woods near the village. The seer appeared to her. He introduced himself as Everard and said that he knew an important detail about her life. Her mother found her and was furious to see him near Aria. He claimed that Aria had been cursed because of her parents. Being their child, he said it led to nothing but darkness and chaos. Everard warned Aria that if innocent blood touched her right hand, it would initiate the curse. From there, she had a choice to make. Unfortunately, her mother injured Everard, causing him to have trouble walking, and threatened his life. Aria never found out what the choice entailed. Her mother encouraged her to not believe some foolish man. Despite the lack of worry on her face, Aria knew she was scared for her. This omen had been part of the reason that her mother placed her with Annabeth. She knew Annabeth would protect her from any harm. Aria had always been very careful. She was furious that some violent attacker got considered an innocent.

With the countdown starting, it became imperative to get to Storybrooke. Aria wished that she had gone up the beanstalk with Hook. She would have ensured that they found the compass quickly. Using a small bit of cloth, she tied it around her hand to cover up the mark. Frustrated, she headed for the beanstalk. Snow, Mulan, and Aurora were still on the ground. She figured that Emma went up with Hook. Snow looked concerned. She questioned her about her hand. Aria lied that she cut herself on a branch. Mulan had placed a tall stick in the dirt, casting a shadow. There were tick marks drawn into the dirt. She claimed to be keeping track of time. Aurora was sleeping against a log. She began breathing heavily. Snow checked on her, trying to keep her calm. Aurora told them about her recurring dream. She found herself in a red room with blood-red curtains. There were no windows or doors, keeping her trapped. The curtains caught fire, surrounding her. She said that she saw a boy staring at her from the corner, having red eyes. Snow assured her that the dreams would stop. Aria made her a quick mixture to give her a more peaceful sleep. Aurora leaned against Snow, sniffling.

"How long have they been up there?" asked Aria.

"About 6 hours"

"They need to hurry up"

"I am sure they will return with the compass"

There was a sharp pain in her hand. Aria winced slightly. She went over to the beanstalk. As she reached for a vine, it repelled her, knocking her to the ground. She got up, weakly.

"Aria, there's a spell" said Snow.

"I just thought he might've been lying about it"

"Be patient"

Aria stood next to Mulan. Her eyes stayed on the ground, watching as the hours passed. Each hour was killing her. How long did it take to find a compass? As the shadow reached the last tick mark, Mulan withdrew her sword. She went over to the beanstalk.

"What are you doing?"

"Stay back. Emma gave me ten hours"

The beanstalk shook wildly as she struck it with her sword. As she hit it a second time, Snow tackled her hard. They started fighting. Mulan claimed it was Emma's wish. Snow looked livid. Emma fell from the beanstalk. The compass rolled out of her hand. Aria picked it up, placing it in her pouch. Snow checked on Emma like a real mother. Emma said she was just a little dizzy.

"Where's Hook?" asked Aurora.

"Detained. Come on, we've got ten hours before he follows us. I've got a friend watching him"

While they gathered their things, Snow pulled Emma aside. She asked if Mulan was telling the truth. Emma did not seem to understand how much it would hurt Snow to lose her again. Hugging her, Snow insisted that they would go back to Storybrooke together. As they headed down the path, she heard rustling sounds. She took out her knife, prepared for more scavengers. Everard appeared again, hiding in a bush. Rolling her eyes, she snuck over to him.

"What do you want? Are you here to tell me that I really only have 17 minutes? Brighten my day"

"I know this upsets you. Fate is not easy. I will give you one more piece of information to guide you. The choice you make will affect your loved ones, even those you do not realize you care about yet"

Aria glared. "Is that your idea of cheering me up? What is this choice?"

"You will soon know"

"Well unless you want to know what it feels like to have a sword in you, you'll leave me alone. Thanks for nothing"

She glanced back at the beanstalk. A small part of her felt bad about Hook being stuck up there. She took out the scavenger's knife and stuck it into the ground at the base of the beanstalk. Taking the ribbon in her hair that she used as a headband, she tied it around the handle of the knife to tell him that it was from her. He needed something to defend himself against ogres and other dangers. She hurried to catch up to the others…


	13. Captured

-Two days later- To evade Cora and Hook, the girls set up camp in a well-hidden area. They did not want to run into any other dangers. Aria was sure that the scavengers would return. She listened to Mulan talk about various places where Cora could be hiding. Even if they had the compass, they still needed wardrobe ashes to make the portal. Their plan was to find Cora and steal the ashes. She proved very adept at keeping her whereabouts a secret. They were looking over a map. Aria pointed at the location of the safe haven. She suggested that Cora could be there. Since she had been posing as Lancelot, her important belongings might be hidden in the village. Emma worried about running into a trap. Facing Hook was one thing but Cora was a whole other opponent. As Mulan pointed out a nearby abandoned village, they heard Aurora scream. They left the make-shift tent. Snow hurried over to calm her down. Aria poured her sleeping mixture into a small bowl. Aurora thanked her and drank it. She was still breathing heavily. Snow asked her what happened. Somehow, the fire in the room stopped. Aurora told them that she saw the boy again but this time he spoke to her. His name was Henry. Aria and Emma looked at her, surprised. Snow stood up, pacing and biting her lip. Emma took out a photo of Harry. Aurora confirmed that he was the same boy. How could Henry be in her dream?

Snow seemed to have the answer. She had been through the dream herself. The connection was the sleeping curse. All three went through it at some point. The dream was an effect from the curse. Aurora looked a bit angry that Snow never mentioned having the dreams too. Snow explained that she did not want to worry her more. As they argued, an idea popped into Aria's head. She smiled.

"Aria, this is not a happy matter. She lied to me" said Aurora.

"It's okay. We're getting home"

"How? We still need to get the ashes from Cora" said Emma.

"We do. Someone knows how to stop her…Rumplestiltskin. He's done it before. We have a way to talk to him"

Aurora shook her head. "W—wait"

Aria assured her that they would watch her as they slept. With three against one, she stood no chance. Sighing in frustration, she rested on the ground. Aria sat next to her. She told her what to say when she saw Henry again. Once the others went into the tent, she lowered her voice.

"Aurora, can you give him another message? Tell him that he can only say this to Rumplestiltskin when they're alone. He's going to tell him two words: It started"

"That's the entire message?"

"Trust me, he'll know what it means. I'll stay by your side, okay? I'm not going to put you in danger"

Aurora closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she woke up. They agreed to meet again in a few hours. Snow suggested that they move to higher ground for safety. As they walked, Emma worried about Henry. She blamed herself since Henry went under the sleeping curse to prove magic to her. Aurora's dress snagged on a low branch. Aria noticed bad burns on her arm. Mulan questioned if the room caused them. She urged her not to go back to that place. Aurora argued that she wanted to be helpful since Phillip and Mulan saved her from her curse of eternal sleep. Aria reached into the pouch, pulling out some aloe leaves. She rubbed the gel onto the burns. Aurora shivered.

"It's cold"

"That means it's working"

"You were right, Aria"

"About what?"

"You said the first night we met, we would be good friends. You are a very good friend to me"

Aria helped her over a log, smiling. "Don't get sentimental on me, princess"

After a few hours, they found a good spot to hide. Aurora went back to sleep to meet Henry. They waited for her to get any information. Hopefully, he would have a way to handle Cora. Emma went to grab some wood. A knife struck a nearby tree, narrowly missing her head. Aria took out her sword, thinking it was the scavengers. To her surprise, the villagers from the safe haven emerged from the trees. They had dead expressions in their eyes and moved like zombies. The villagers attacked them. Any injuries did not affect the villagers. They would just continue their attack. Aria pierced one of them with her sword. He fell to the ground. Mulan and Aurora had gone missing. Worried, she followed their tracks. They were a few feet ahead. Some of the villagers grabbed Mulan, pulling her down. Aria hurried over to Aurora. She grabbed her arm, thinking of the best place to hide. They were surrounded by the villagers. She kept Aurora behind her, protectively.

"You either take both of us or neither of us"

The villagers forced them back to the safe haven. Cora was waiting. She looked annoyed that neither of them had the compass. Using magic, she brought them down to an underground prison. They were separated into different cells. Chains on her wrists kept Aria tied to a boulder. She could hear bits of a conversation between Cora and Aurora. Cora was going to use them as a trade to get the compass. She tried to entice Aurora with the idea the Phillip did not die. The wraith had merely sent his soul to another realm and it could be brought back. Aurora still refused to help her. She heard a loud thud. Aria tried to undo the chains. Cora was smart to not enter her cell. If she came close enough, she would bash her head into this boulder. The chains were very tight. She spent hours trying to undo them. Her bangs got in her eyes, giving her an idea. She shook her head quickly from side to side. Laying on her back, she leaned her head on her shoulder. She kept pushing up her shoulder, messing with her hair.

"Is this cell making you a bit restless, dear?"

Cora entered the cell. Hook followed behind her. She knew that he had been lying about helping them. His intentions were not honorable. It made her think that once they got the compass, he would have killed them all if Emma had not left him at the top of the beanstalk. He was just a coward, running back to Cora like a wounded dog. Cora placed a tray of stew and bread in front of her. Aria sat up, kicking it over with her foot. She would never accept anything from an insane witch and a manipulative pirate. The food could easily be poisoned. Cora bent down in front of Aria. Grabbing her chin, she stared at her face. Cora looked curious.

"Have we met before?"

"We did. I blew fairy dust at you and knocked you down when you were trying to kill my friends"

"Before that encounter"

"Doubtful. I did get a letter to join the Society of Bitter Old Bitches but it was a mix-up. It was meant for your daughter. I'm sure you're one of the founding members"

Cora chuckled. "Such a fiery tongue. Perhaps you'll be a bit more willing than the princess"

"Clearly, your old age has made you lose any bit of common sense. You have a better chance of getting me in bed with you than getting information out of me. You're not getting the compass"

"We shall see"

Cora left the cell. Aria glanced up at Hook.

"So it was good, huh? I pegged you as the type to go for psychotic old women. Who else would be desperate enough?"

"What?"

"You slept with her…slid your hook between her legs"

At first, he did not seem to understand. After a minute, his eyes widened. He looked disgusted. Aria assumed that Hook seduced Cora to re-gain her trust. There was no other possible explanation for them to work together again.

"Are you mad?"

"It's the only way I can think that she would let you back on her side after you messed up getting the compass. So was it good? If it worked for you, I could seduce her twice as quickly. Call her back here"

He snarled. "I took a heart"

Aria's expression changed in an instant. She went from taunting him to looking at him with pure loathing. Aurora could not be heard in the other cell. Hook must have taken hers to trick Emma, Snow, and Mulan. An innocent girl like Aurora did not deserve that. She wondered how he could even take a heart. Was it some special enchantment like the cuffs? Hook stared at her with cold eyes. He said that it was payback for Emma's treachery. If she had not left him up there, he would never have gone back to Cora. He needed the heart to ensure he would get to Storybrooke. All he cared about was this revenge.

"Going to yell at me? Let's hear your witty insults, love"

"I'm not going to yell at you. You can live with the fact that I'm disappointed"

"Disappointed?" he asked, confused.

"I thought you could be a halfway decent person…but I was wrong. You are no better than Cora. You're both willing to hurt an innocent to get what you want. Aurora had nothing to do with this but now thanks to you, she's Cora's puppet"

"I need to get to Storybrooke"

Aria rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot. You're not going to win. Do you think it's that easy? You show up in Storybrooke and kill Rumplestiltskin?"

He lifted her up by her neck. Aria glared at him. He told her that he deserved this after what Rumplestiltskin did to him, killing his love and taking his hand. Aria could see that he was trying to get her sympathy. She would not let it faze her. He said that she did not know the true monster inside him. Her fists clenched.

"Even if you do make it to Storybrooke, I'll find another way to get there and I'll stop you...just like I did the day we met"

"You knew I was after him. It wasn't random chance that you saw me attack that man. You knew why I cornered him"

"I'm not going to let you kill him"

"Why do you defend him? He's a demon"

"He is not! Everyone thinks that but I know he can be a good person. He saved my life. I owe him a lot. You're not exactly a saint here, pirate"

Hook let go of her. Not saying a word, he left the cell. She heard Cora telling someone about Hook letting Aurora go. Based on how she spoke, she must be using the heart to control Aurora. Aria looked down beside her. There was a small bobby pin from her hair. She picked it up and used it to undo her chains. Standing up, she tried to find a possible escape route. Being underground made that difficult. She waited for Cora and Hook to leave. Quietly, she snuck out towards the entrance to the cells. Above her, there was a small hole with a rope. The rope dangled a few feet below the opening. She could never reach it from here. Carefully, she climbed, using the rocks that protruded from the walls. The sharp rocks cut into her skin, leaving a few scratches. She reached for the rope. Her arms got pinned to her side. Struggling to move, she floated down to the ground. Cora and Hook had returned.

"Aren't you a resourceful girl? I'm afraid it won't be that easy. With Aurora's heart, I see no use for you. I can simply kill you"

"Don't"

Both looked at Hook. Aria did not expect him to defend her.

"She has value. We can take her through the portal. She knows the town well and…she's close to the Dark One, enough that she protects him. She could be a weakness for him"

Any bit of hope she had for Hook got crushed. She looked at him with intense hatred. If looks could kill, he would be set on fire. She could not believe that he betrayed her like that. Hook avoided eye contact with her. Cora smirked.

"Interesting. That could prove useful to us"

Waving her hand, she threw Aria against the wall. The rocks wrapped around her body, keeping her pinned. Cora told him that she would make preparations for travel. Hook started to head out the door.

"Be a man and look at me. Stop being a coward"

He walked over to her, not looking the least bit remorseful. "I would drop that tone, love. Cora will only tolerate you for so long"

"I didn't tell Emma to trick you. I felt bad that she left you there. It's why I left that knife for you…in case you got in trouble"

From his pocket, he took out the scavenger's knife. Her ribbon was still tied to it.

"A kind gesture. You have no need for it"

As she opened her mouth to threaten him, she noticed something dangling on his chain. It was a dagger charm. She recognized it as the one that belonged to her. It surprised her that he had it with him.

"That's mine"

"A pirate always keeps something from his conquests"

Tears filled her eyes. He looked taken aback. It was rare for Aria to ever show that kind of emotion. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"If you're going to betray me like this, at least let me have it back. It's the only thing I have left of my mother"

Hook removed the charm from his chain. He placed it in her hand. For a second, he looked like he wanted to say something but he just left the room. She continued to sniffle. Once the door shut, her tears vanished. She smirked.

"Idiot" she whispered.

Her mother only got to teach her a few things before her death. One of them was that a woman could use her tears as a weapon. She claimed that the greatest weapon happened to be between their legs. Hook had fallen for her act just like any other man. Aria re-attached the dagger charm to her necklace. She leaned her head against the wall, waiting to be released…


	14. Back to Storybrooke

-The next day- Aria woke up, still in the underground prison. She had hoped it was all a bad dream. The door creaked open. Cora entered the dimly lit room. She removed the spell that kept Aria trapped. Waving her hand again, she tied her hands together with rope. Cora warned Aria that if she tried to escape, she would experience excruciating pain. Aria merely glared. She was forced out of the room. Hook pressed the knife into her back to keep her compliant. They walked through the forest. Aria played along, waiting for the chance to get the upper hand.

"My daughter's mentioned you. I remember her saying your name a few weeks before she enacted the curse. She offered you a chance to be on her side"

"I turned her down. This might come as a shock to you but not everyone adored your narcissistic, lunatic daughter"

"So tell me, Aria, what is your connection to Rumplestiltskin? Why so quick to defend him?"

"I'm his secret lover. I can't get enough of him. His dark side excites me" she replied.

Cora chuckled. "Such an amusing wit. I'm sure I'll get you to open up once we're in that little town"

They entered the dwarves' mines. Aria knew this led to Rumplestiltskin's cell. Why would they be going there? As they walked, she saw the girls in the cell, searching for something. Mulan picked up an empty jar. She told Snow that there was no squid ink inside. Aria realized that he sent them here. Squid ink was a powerful method to trap a person's magic. It froze him long enough to get him in this prison. He wanted them to use the ink to stop Cora. Taking out Aurora's heart, Cora ordered her to trap them in the cell. Aurora threw a rock at the lever, causing the bars to drop down. Emma freaked out, asking why she did that. Cora walked over to the cell.

"Helping me, of course"

She used magic to take the compass from Emma. Frantically, Emma tried to move the bars. Cora laughed, telling her that not even Rumplestiltskin could escape this cell.

"Don't blame her. She only did what I asked" she said, holding out the heart.

"You took her heart" said Emma.

"Actually, I did. It was a gift" replied Hook.

Cora squeezed the heart. Aurora clutched her chest in pain. Hook kept his arm around Aria, preventing her from going to the cell. Snow's eyes widened, seeing her.

"Aria" she said, worried.

"Oh, she'll be coming with us. I hear she's quite valuable to the Dark One"

Aria thought of a quick plan. The enchantment only kept her from escaping. Even with her hands tied, she could take on Hook and Cora. She moved her hips against Hook's body. He tightened his grip on her.

"Stop it" he hissed.

"Sorry. I have trouble staying still" she whispered.

Aria did it again but more subtle. She heard his breath shorten. Within a few seconds, she felt a hard sensation press into her back. He let out a low growl.

"You're doing it again"

"Didn't notice. Are you still holding that knife to my back?"

Hook turned his gaze to the wall. Cora waved her hand, forcing Aria to follow her. Emma called after Hook. She begged him not to do this, needing to be with Henry in Storybrooke. Hook went over to her. He told her that she should have thought of that before her deception on the beanstalk. Aria rolled her eyes. For a pirate, he sounded like a whiny brat. He claimed that he would not have done the same to her. From his pocket, he took out a petrified bean. It must have come from the Giant. A bean could be used to create the portal. Emma reached for it. He taunted her with the bean, calling it once magical but now dried and useless like her. Aria knew that it was not Emma's fault. She had major trust issues. If anyone else went up with him, they would not rely on him either. Pirates had a reputation of being deceiving and dishonest.

"Okay, we get it. You feel betrayed. Cry me a river. Go do what every other depressed person does and drown your sorrows in ice-cream" said Aria.

Cora took her out of the mines. They were heading to Lake Nostos. Its water had regenerative properties. She explained to Hook that it would restore the magic in the wardrobe ashes, creating a portal. They reached the lake. It was completely dry. Cora used magic to draw up water from deep underground. She looked at the cuts on Aria's arms from climbing the rocks.

"Poor dear. We can't have him see those when we return, can we?"

The cuts slowly vanished. Aria sarcastically thanked her for her generosity. The lake was soon full of water again. Hook poured the ashes. In the middle of the lake, the water swirled around, creating a vortex. Aria contemplated knocking them out and taking the portal herself. She started to loosen the ropes around her wrist. Cora conjured the compass from under her sleeve.

"I told you I would deliver you to Rumplestiltskin. Now don't let go or you might not end up in Storybrooke" she told Hook.

They both touched the compass. Cora placed Aria's hand on it. Suddenly, an arrow struck the compass, knocking it somewhere in the sand. She was relieved to see Snow, Emma, and Mulan. Snow told Emma to find the compass. Before Aria could help search, Cora knocked her aside. Aria was thrown into a boulder. As they fought, she used a jagged edge on the boulder to cut the ropes. She closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she felt Cora's enchantment lift from her. Mulan ran off, holding Hook's satchel, which contained Aurora's heart. Snow had Mulan's sword to deflect any magic. She and Cora circled each other. Emma was on her back while Hook stood over her, pushing her sword aside. He seemed to be taunting her again. Emma got the compass from beneath her. She kicked his chest and stood up. Aria knew she stood no chance of winning. She grabbed a nearby log. Sneaking up behind him, she tapped his shoulder. As he turned, she struck him with the log. He fell to the ground.

"Go help Snow. Keep that compass safe"

"Aria, you can't"

"I know how to fight. I can handle him"

Emma nodded and headed over to Cora and Snow. Hook stood up, wiping blood from his lip. She picked up Emma's sword. He chuckled.

"Are you going to fight me now?"

"It's not really a fight when one is clearly going to win. I did win the first time"

"I merely underestimated you but not this time. I won't hold back"

Hook swung his sword at her. They fought, seeming to be evenly matched. Aria knocked his sword out of his hand. She kicked him in the groin, getting him on his knees. He threw dirt in her face. Caught off guard, she wiped it away. It was a foul trick. Hook pulled her leg, causing her to fall on her back. He moved on top of her. She glared.

"Cheat"

He smirked. "Pirate, love. We don't follow the rules"

Hook pinned her arms above her head. He noted that this felt familiar. Aria remembered they had been in this exact position during their first fight. She struggled to move.

"You do have excellent form but it wasn't enough. Perhaps if you beg me, I'll be lenient"

"I lied to you that day in the pub" she whispered.

"About what?"

Their faces were inches apart. Aria leaned up and kissed him. She immediately pulled away. Hook looked surprised. Lust grew in his eyes. He kissed her again roughly. His hook tore into her shirt, exposing her chest. He moved down to her neck. His hand gripped her inner thigh. She let out a soft moan.

"Don't stop. I'm all yours, Hook"

Her nails dug into the back of his neck. Hook groaned. He got more aggressive, pushing up her skirt and ripping her tights. Aria gasped, her hand moving above her. She grabbed a rock and slammed it into his head. Hook was knocked out by the blow. She pushed him off of her. Smirking, she tossed the rock up and down.

"I'm all yours" she taunted.

She saw Cora unconscious too. Snow was checking on Emma. Aria walked over to them. Cora had attempted to take Snow's heart but Emma pushed her out of the way. For some reason, she could not remove Emma's heart and then this light inside of her burst out, hitting Cora. They looked over Aria's disheveled appearance.

"What were you and Hook doing?" asked Emma, raising an eyebrow.

"I tricked him"

"How?"

"By using the fact that he's a guy and I'm a pretty girl. Let's go before either of them wakes up"

The three of them grabbed the compass and jumped into the lake. For a few seconds, it felt a bit strange. They landed in a small well. One by one, they climbed up the side. Aria was the last to get out. The portal took them to the forest in Storybrooke. She saw Regina leaning against a tree, breathing heavily. Henry hugged Aria, happy that she made it back. Ruby was unconscious a few feet away from Rumplestiltskin. He looked relieved that she returned in one piece. With a curt nod, he left the forest. Aria followed after him. They entered the antiques shop and went into the back room. He hugged her and conjured a glass of water. She took a small sip. He noticed her torn clothing.

"I'm fine. You messed with the portal. It was supposed to kill us"

Waving his hand, he repaired her clothes. "We needed to prevent Cora from coming through"

"So you were going to let me die?"

"Of course not. I made sure you would be unharmed"

"But Snow and Emma would've died"

"You are all that matters to me. I will always keep you safe"

He picked up her hand. The number in the middle of her palm now read '14'. He asked her how it happened. She explained the incident with the scavengers. He lamented not putting a better protection spell on her. She mentioned meeting Everard again. He scowled, despising seers after one caused him to lose his son by not giving all of the details of a prophecy. His hand rested on her cheek. He assured her that they would find a way around the curse.

"We don't even know what this curse is about. Maybe the seer is being dramatic"

"Not with a curse like this. I won't take the chance of losing you. We will figure this out together"

"Well we have 14 days to do it"

"Everything will be fine"

Aria gripped the counter. It shook wildly, items almost dropping to the floor.

"How can you be this calm?! What if it kills me?! This is partially your fault, Dad!"

Her parents had been a well-kept secret. At first, she never knew about her father. Her mother simply told her that he was feared throughout the Enchanted Forest for his power. He would send her gifts every day to make up for not being in her life. After her 3rd birthday, she met him. He was Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One. She never told anyone the truth, not even her closest friends. Annabeth thought that her father had been some stranger that her mother met in passing. Her father made her promise not to reveal their relationship because it would endanger her. Everyone just assumed that he cared for her because he saved her life after her mother's death. Despite what people said about him, she knew he had goodness in him. Aria regretted her outburst. She sighed.

"I didn't mean that. I just…"

"I know this is hard on you, little dove"

He kissed the top of her head. She heard Emma calling for him. He told Aria to stay hidden back here and went into the main part of the shop. After a few minutes, he returned. He picked up the heart charm on her necklace.

"Is there something else we need to discuss? I didn't make the counter shake"

"I used some of the dust. It wasn't my fault. I needed to protect them from Cora"

"You know how important this is, Aria. Do you want someone like Regina to know about your magic?"

"I have it under control"

"For now. We're lucky the dust has lasted this long. I'll wait until new diamonds grow in the mine and then grind some up into more dust"

Her heart charm hid fairy dust for her protection. Due to her parentage, she was born with magic. Only some had a natural ability instead of being taught. At a young age, she could use magic. Her father collected fairy dust to keep it locked up inside her. He did not want to risk her using magic in public, especially since someone could question where she learned it. Her parents had no idea of the extent of Aria's power. When she used the dust, some of the protection was removed. This caused her magic to slip out, leading to incidents like the fire starting in her old room. Her father took out an old, dusty book. She spent the rest of the day in the shop, looking up information on this curse…

* * *

**A/N: Now that her father is known, there's going to be more information on the relationship between her parents and their relationship with her. It's different than the situation with his son because Aria was born when he was already the Dark One. The seer mentioned how her parents getting together caused Aria to be cursed. Her mother is going to play a major role as the story continues. She's clearly influenced Aria, even in just the few years they were together, such as her using her mother's advice to trick Hook. This influence is going to affect Aria a lot, especially when it comes to her curse. The advice she mentioned about using her looks to get something could give a clue to her mother's own relationship with Rumplestiltskin. ****Was it true love between them or was one of them being manipulated?** That kiss between Aria and Hook is going to come up again but it might not bring them closer.  



	15. The Hidden Ship

-Two days later- Aria did not realize how much she missed Storybrooke until she returned. She was glad to be back with her friends. Jane and Marissa spent their time apart from her by disinfecting her house. They got rid of every trace of that snake Alec. Annabeth moved into the house, not wanting to be apart again. Aria and her father had been searching every book he owned on magic to learn about this curse. So far, they had no luck. He assured her that they would stop it. Aria wanted to believe him but neither of them knew what the curse would actually do to her. Her father assumed the worst, worrying that it could kill her once the countdown ended. Aria was sitting on the counter, flipping through a small, barely put together book. She stared at the same page for five minutes. Her father emerged from the back room. Besides looking up information on the curse, he was working on a potion to cross the town line. It turned out that if crossed, the person would forget memories of their past selves. He wanted to find a way around it so he could go out of town to find his son Baelfire. Aria helped him with the potion, using her own magic.

"Any luck?"

"Not unless you want to learn how to turn a person into a cat..."

He sighed. "We'll keep looking"

"We've looked through every book ten times already"

"Aria, I will not let this curse harm you. We need to keep searching"

She went over to a pile of books. As she tossed a few useless ones aside, she noticed a large, leather-bound book. Not recognizing it, she picked it up. She asked her dad about the book. He said that it belonged to her mother but he could never get it to open. Her mother told him that it passed through multiple generations in her family. There was no writing on the cover. Aria tried to open it. The book stayed shut. As she turned the book in her hands, she spotted an engraving on the bottom-right corner of the cover. It was exactly like the symbol that formed on her hand. Curiously, she pressed her palm against the engraving. Gold writing appeared on the cover. The newly formed title was '_Libro de lucis et umbras_', latin for '_Book of Light and Shadows_'. She watched as the book opened, filled with writings and pictures.

"I opened it"

Her father looked at the book. "There's nothing written in it. Perhaps it's invisible ink"

"Dad, I think you need glasses. There's tons of—you can't see it?"

"What do you see?"

"It's filled with writing. It opened with the mark on my hand. Did Mom have one too?"

"I never saw it. Your mother did have her secrets, Aria"

Aria sat down, reading her mother's book. She saw annotations in the margins of each page. As she read a passage, Belle entered the shop, carrying a picnic basket. Her father's face brightened at the sight of her. Aria could see that he and Belle were in love. She liked that Belle made him happy. A small part of her wished that he had been like that with her mother. Sometimes, she wondered if they actually loved each other. Her father told her that Regina lied about Belle being dead all those years ago. It turned out that she imprisoned her and kept her locked in an underground ward of the hospital until the curse broke. Belle hugged her. They had been good friends back in the Enchanted Forest, sharing a love for books.

"Aria, it's so good to see you"

"You too. If you want time alone with"

"No, you can stay. Don't be silly"

She opened the basket. Her father smiled, looking inside.

"That looks delicious. Thank you very much, Belle"

The door opened again. Emma walked into the shop with Snow and David.

"Nothing warms the heart more than a family reunited. You have your mother's chin, Miss Swan"

"We know you killed him"

"And your father's tact"

"S—someone's dead?" asked Belle, worried.

"Dr. Hopper"

Aria's eyes widened. Archie was the nicest person in this town. Who could kill him? Emma seemed to think that her father framed Regina. Aria knew that Regina was easily capable of murder. This morning, Ruby mentioned seeing Regina go to Archie's office late last night. Her father denied that he had anything to do with Archie's death.

"He was at the shop all night. I was with him" said Aria.

"He could've used magic to duplicate himself or something" argued David.

"I can prove it. Ask the witness" said her father.

Emma still looked unconvinced. She told him that no one saw what happened. He mentioned Pongo being in the office. David returned with the dalmation. Emma did not see the point in having Pongo there since none of them could speak dog. Her father suggested looking at his memories. She argued that he could fool them with magic.

"I'm not going to use magic. You are"

Aria opened one of the cabinets. She took out a dreamcatcher and gave it to him. He passed it along Pongo's back. The dreamcatcher glowed a golden color. He handed it to Emma, telling her to focus on bringing the memories forward. Aria encouraged her. Emma stared at the dreamcatcher. Slowly, images began to form. It showed Regina entering Archie's office and then choking him. They left the shop to confront her. Aria decided to head home. She entered her house to see Annabeth cooking dinner.

"You don't need to cook for me"

"Oh, hush. It's like old times in the village. Any luck with the…curse?"

"No, but look what I found"

From her bag, she took out her mother's book. To her confusion, Annabeth got startled. The knife in her hand fell onto the cutting board with a clatter.

"Where did you get that?"

"Mr. Gold had it. It was my mother's"

"Aria, burn it this instant"

"What? Why?"

"Your mother hid that book for a reason. She didn't want you to ever see it. It's dangerous"

Aria giggled. "It's a book, Annabeth. It's harmless"

"Aria, you must return it. Nothing good will come of it"

Annabeth looked serious. Reluctantly, Aria nodded. She promised to return it in the morning. Going into her room, she hid the book under her bed. She could not let go of it. The cover had the same symbol as her hand. It could have information about the curse. Annabeth was just being paranoid. After dinner, she headed down to the docks. She wanted to look for some plants by the water that might be useful for her father's potion. It was extremely windy. Aria heard a flapping sound near the water. It did not come from a bird. She got this strange feeling. Passing it off as nothing, she reached for some lillies. Her hand brushed against something hard. She moved her hand up, feeling wood. There was something hidden in the water. Glancing around to make sure no one was around, she waved her hand. An enormous ship appeared in front of her. Her charm started to weaken, turning it invisible again. Aria hurried up the steps, getting onto the ship. She walked around, searching various rooms. As she opened a door, she was overcome with a strong smell of booze. She scrunched her nose. If she spent too much time in here, she might get drunk from the smell alone. There were empty rum bottles scattered across the floor. She looked around the room. There was a half-empty bottle of rum, a map, and telescope on the table. She sat on the bed, looking at the map and drinking the rum. The map was of Storybrooke. Various locations had been circled, including the antiques shop. The door opened. Hook entered the room, looking frustrated. He did not notice her as he muttered about double-crossing, batty women.

"Ahoy, Captain Eyebrows"

The sound of her voice made him jump. Turning around, his eyes widened. His shock turned to anger.

"How did you—get off my ship"

She pouted. "Aw, are you mad at me? Is the big, bad pirate upset that he was beaten by a girl again?"

He glared. "You played a lowly trick"

"And you didn't? You threw dirt in my face. I kissed you...I'd say you got the better end of that encounter. It's called strategy. You're just like any other man. That little twig between your legs does all your thinking for you. You didn't seem to mind"

"It's not that little"

His comment made her laugh. For a split second, his glare faltered. She tilted the bottle of rum towards him and drank some of it. It tasted like it had been made hundreds of years ago. She could tell he was getting angrier by the second. His fist clenched.

"So where's Cora? If you're here, that crazy bitch can't be far behind"

"That is none of your business, you nosy little brat. If you tell anyone that we've come here"

"Why would I do that? Watching you fail to get your revenge a million times is going to be worth keeping it a secret for a while"

He snarled. "I won't fail. I will skin that crocodile"

"That optimism is adorable. Let's make a bet on how long you'll last before you get your ass handed to you. I'll be generous. I give you one day. If I'm right, you have to do something of my choice. If I'm somehow wrong…"

Aria got off of the bed. She stood in front of him and leaned close to his ear.

"I'll kiss you again" she whispered, flirtatiously.

"Why would I want that?" he asked, failing to sound disinterested.

Aria smirked. "You say you don't want it but your little twig poking into my leg right now…tells a different story. Be prepared to do something humiliating"

Giving him a small wink, she left the ship...


	16. The Confrontation

-The next day- Aria was in the cemetery with her friends. They decided to have a proper burial for Archie. As Snow gave a eulogy, Aria leaned her head on Devon's shoulder. He kept his arm around her. Henry had been deeply affected by Archie's death. It made it worse for him that Regina was the suspected murderer. He kept his eyes on the ground as he held onto Pongo's leash. She teared up, listening to Gepetto talk to the casket. He and Archie used to be very good friends in the Enchanted Forest. She could tell that this was hard on him. Snow offered to have a special breakfast at her apartment to honor Archie. Everyone began to leave the cemetery. Aria went over to Henry.

"Henry, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay. I just don't understand why she would hurt him, Aria"

"Henry, Regina is…she's not known for being nice"

"She promised to change for me and not use magic. She said she wanted to prove that she could be a better person"

"Change can be hard. She can't do that overnight. I'm sorry"

He left with Emma. Aria looked over at the casket. She thought about what Henry told her. If there was one person that Regina would want to be good for, it was him. Aria could not deny that she loved Henry. She would want to change to keep him as her son. Jane shook her head. She questioned why Regina would hurt Archie, the nicest person in the entire town. Devon scoffed.

"She doesn't need a reason, Jane. She probably wanted to prove that she's still a threat in this world. I bet she's celebrating right now"

"You're right"

Devon, Jane, and Marissa looked at Aria. "We know Regina. How many times has she killed someone and then gloated about it? Or used the death to get something she wanted? Why isn't she doing that this time?"

"I don't know how evil people think" said Marissa with a shrug.

"Something doesn't add up"

"Aria, it was definitely her. You were with Rumplestiltskin at the time…and they're the only people who would murder"

Aria was now unsure if Regina was the murderer. If she had killed Archie, she would be taking pleasure in their misery. She never just disappeared. As she thought about other possibilities to explain what happpened to Archie, she heard a loud scoff. Alec was leaning against a nearby tree, arms crossed. Anger built up inside her.

"You do know you're crying over a cricket, right? It's a bit pathetic"

Devon glared. "Did you forget what I said to you the day the curse broke? Get out of here, Alec"

Alec chuckled. "I'll take my chances. I did win our last fight" he replied, smugly.

"By cheating. We don't need to deal with you right now"

Devon grabbed Aria's hand. As they walked away, Alec smirked at her. She wondered if he knew where Regina might be hiding. They went to Snow's apartment. Devon was bothered by Alec's taunting. Back home, he always felt a need to prove himself as a knight since he came from a inferior background. He did not like to be beaten in a fight. It made him think that he was not good enough. Aria comforted him, telling him that Alec's win meant nothing. Devon was ten times the man that Alec would ever be and if Alec played fair, Devon would have easily won their fight. Aria's phone rang. She picked it up. Her father said that Belle had been attacked at the library by Hook. They were heading for his shop. She got up from the table. Marissa asked where she was going. She claimed to have to start her hospital shift early. Leaving Snow's apartment, she went over to the antiques shop. Her father and Belle were walking down the street. Belle looked a bit shaken.

"Belle, are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm not hurt. He tried to attack me but I knocked him over with a bookcase and stayed in the elevator until Rumple showed up"

Aria could practically feel her father's anger. He would want revenge for Hook attempting to hurt Belle. They entered the shop. To her surprise, it was completely trashed. Broken items scattered the floor. Her father said that Hook's attack on Belle had been a trick. He wanted her father out of the shop so he could come in here. Opening a safe hidden behind a portrait, he looked worried.

"It's gone. Bae's cloak…"

"Why would he take that?" asked Aria.

"I enchanted it. Our potion was finally working, Aria. If I poured it on the cloak, I could cross the town line"

Using his cane, he began to break things in the shop. Belle tried to calm him down. An argument started between them. She wanted to help him get the cloak back. Her father refused, claiming it would be too dangerous. He did not want to see her at risk again and pleaded with her to stay at the library while he handled Hook. Going behind the counter, he pulled out a gun. He gave it to Belle for protection. She made him promise to only get the cloak back, not harm Hook. Aria followed after her father.

"Aria, you are not coming either"

"But I can"

"No. You've been around that cur enough"

"I'm not scared of him. I can help you"

"Go home, Aria. I won't tell you again"

He continued down the street. She stamped her foot in frustration. If anyone could help him, it was her. She headed for her house. As she turned a corner, she bumped into someone. There was a portly bearded man in front of her, wearing a red beanie. She recognized him from Hook's crew at the pub all those years ago.

"Very sorry, miss"

"You're one of Hook's pirates, aren't you?"

The man tensed up. "H—Hook? No. I—I can't say I know him"

"You're a bad liar. You're…Smee, isn't it?"

Reluctantly, he nodded. "I need a favor. You're going to deliver something for me"

She took out a small piece of paper and a pen from her purse. Writing on the paper, she folded it up and handed it to Smee. He looked at it, confused. Aria told him to give that to Hook and that he would understand what it meant. She watched him run away…

~Killian~

Killian had just entered his room on his ship. He did not bother to look for Cora. She was busy destroying her daughter's life. Opening a chest, he hid the yellow cloak inside it. The cloak belonged to Milah's son, Baelfire. He did not want to destroy it, knowing she made it herself. Smirking, he opened a bottle of rum. He could only imagine the crocodile's face. This was a small part of his plan for revenge. Soon enough, the crocodile would be begging for mercy. As he took a swig from the bottle, the door opened. Smee entered the room. He was not a real pirate. Killian kept him as part of the crew in exchange for Smee's magic bean. The man was not very useful or intelligent.

"Mr. Smee, what are you doing here? I don't remember asking you to be on my ship"

"I have a note for you, captain. A girl gave it to me"

Killian tensed up. The note had to be from Aria. Smee gave him a piece of paper and left the ship. Killian opened the note, scanning its contents. The first sentence read '_Hi Captain Eyebrows'_. He scowled. Her little nickname for him was infuriating. She knew it got under his skin. He continued to glance over the note. It read '_I heard you got beaten up by a big, scary bookcase. Those books are dangerous if you're not careful. You lost our bet. It's really sad that it took less than a day and you didn't even get bested by an actual person. I clearly gave you too much credit. I'll tell you what you'll have to do later. I hope you're not kept up at night by nightmares of books crashing on your head'_. Frustrated, he ripped the note into pieces. Aria irritated him like no one else. At times, he just wanted to strangle her. The girl was too confident for her own good. He watched her for a few days in the town, hanging around with friends and going into Rumplestiltskin's little shop. Seeing her at the shop so often made him curious about the relationship between him and Aria. There had to be some kind of special connection. Killian noticed that he treated her very differently from other people. She would stop acting like Killian was a joke when his plan worked. Once he got his revenge on Rumplestiltskin, he would teach her a lesson. Killian sat on his bed, drinking the rest of the bottle…

~Aria~

Aria went into the library. She decided to keep Belle company until her shift at the hospital. Belle was not there. As she called out for her, she stepped on something. Looking down, she saw a knot of rope. It was on top of a book about ships. Aria sighed, knowing where Belle had gone. She hurried towards the docks. Sand had been tossed around, revealing the steps to the ship. Grabbing some sand from the box, she climbed the steps. Belle was coming out from below deck. She hurried over to Aria, holding a cloak.

"Belle, you're not supposed to be here"

"I had to help. It was my fault that he got this in the first place"

"Let's just go"

"I think not"

Turning around, she saw Hook. Belle looked surprised. His eyes rested on Aria.

"Of course you're here. What else should I expect?"

"Leave Belle alone"

"Are you going to stop me? You've got no weapon"

Aria threw the sand into his face. With him distracted, she tackled him hard. They fell onto the wooden floor.

"You seem to enjoy meddling in my affairs. Is there something you want to tell me, love? Are we hiding a secret attraction to me?"

"In your dreams. Unlike the girls you usually charm with your foolish stories, I have standards"

"Get out of my way before I drive this hook into your chest"

"Oh, I bet you'd love to touch my chest"

He knocked her aside. Aria got tangled up in some rope. He went after Belle, threatening her to give him the cloak. Getting out from the ropes, Aria jumped onto his back. She pulled at his hair. He groaned in pain. They crashed into the mast. He kept her pinned with his hand. Suddenly, his hook plunged into her stomach. His eyes widened slightly. It was like he just realized what he did. Blood seeped from the wound. Her breathing got shaky. She slid down to the floor. He bent down to her.

"Aria, I didn't—I wasn't…you'll be all right" he whispered.

Soon, her entire hand was covered in blood. Her stomach seared with pain. He tried to stop the bleeding. She was feeling lightheaded. Her eyes slowly began to close. He patted her on the cheek, keeping her awake.

"Stay awake. It's not that bad. I'm sor"

"Get away from her"

Her father entered the ship. Hook stood up. His mind switched into thinking only about his revenge. Belle hurried over to her. Seeing the blood seeping through Aria's shirt, her father looked furious. Belle used the cloak to stem the bleeding. She told Aria to keep listening to her voice. Her father began beating Hook with his cane. Belle begged him to stop, saying that they only came for the cloak. Hook taunted him, making her father angrier.

"There's still good in you. I see it…I always have. Please show me that I'm not wrong. Aria needs your help. She's more important right now"

He gripped Hook's chin. "You are going to take your little ship and sail far away from here. I do not want to see you ever again"

Her father picked her up. "It's all right now, little dove. I'll fix you up"

He carried her off of the ship. Sitting her on a bench, he waved his hand. The wound healed itself. He asked Belle for a few minutes alone. She waited off to the side. He cupped Aria's cheek.

"I told you to stay home, Aria"

"I was looking for Belle"

"You could've died. I told you what kind of man he is…"

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't listen, papa"

"We won't have to worry about him. He won't come after you again"

She simply nodded. He kissed her forehead. Once she was feeling better, she headed to the hospital…


	17. At The Hospital

Once she was feeling better, she headed to the hospital. Her hand brushed against her stomach. She thought about how the hook had pierced her skin. As she passed Victor's office, she saw him inside, drinking a glass of whiskey. She entered his office. He raised the glass to her. Lately, he had been drinking a lot. Victor opened up to her about his real identity. He was Dr. Frankenstein. In this world, people knew him as a scientist who brought a dead man back to life. The man happened to be his brother. Victor desperately wanted to return home to see his brother again. While she was in the Enchanted Forest, he brought Regina's old love back to life by using one of the hearts in her vault. The procedure turned Daniel into a monster. In a rage, he tore off Victor's arm and her father had to repair it. The incident with Daniel made Victor feel like a failure. He was coping with it by drinking. She sat across from him.

"Going to rat me out for drinking on the job?"

"As long as you don't do the same for me. I'm having a bad day. Whiskey will make me forget"

He chuckled and poured her glass. Nothing was going on at the hospital so they just kept drinking. Within a few hours, they went through three entire bottles. He was opening a fourth. As he poured whiskey into her glass, it overflowed. She giggled.

"You are really bad at this"

"Aria?"

Devon entered the office. He noticed the empty bottles of whiskey on the table. Victor left to get a snack from the vending machine. Devon sat down next to her, concerned.

"Why are you drinking with Whale? Where have you been?"

"I am drinking because I kind of got impaled by a hook"

"A hoo—are you telling me Hook's here? How long has he"

"Since yesterday. I found his ship and we made this bet on how long it would take before he got beaten up. I won the bet. He got attacked by a bookcase…so funny. He was going to hurt Belle and I tried to stop him. Then he plunged that hook right in my stomach"

He asked if she was feeling all right. She told him that the wound had been healed with magic. Grabbing another glass, she poured whiskey into it. She handed it to Devon. He sighed and took a small sip.

"I told you not to mess with someone like Hook. He's scum, Aria. He has no remorse for his actions. He could've killed you"

Aria thought about how Hook looked at her after hurting her. He had this worried expression in his eyes. Too drunk to argue, she simply nodded. Victor returned to the office. Suddenly, an alarm sounded in the hospital. It made her head hurt. She saw medics rush by the office. One of the nurses mentioned that there were three people down by the town line. Aria immediately thought of her father. He could be at the town line to test out the potion. She worried that he was injured. The nurse told a medic that one of the injured had been in a car with Pennsylvania plates. Devon and Aria looked at each other. The person had to be from out of town. Ten minutes later, she heard a loud commotion. A nurse spoke over the intercom, calling for Aria and Victor. He continued to drink. She threw a chip at him.

"Stop drinking. We have to—help"

"Aria, are you in the best state to"

"Devon, I'm fine"

They left the office. A stretcher passed by with an unconscious man in his mid 30s. He had a bad cut near his eye. Another stretcher passed, carrying Hook. Before she could ask a medic what happened, she got distracted by Snow walking into the hospital with Belle, who looked very disoriented. David and Leroy were arguing with her father. Aria walked over to them. Her father was panicking.

"David, I got this. Let me talk to him"

She pulled her father aside. He told her that Belle crossed over the town line. Belle and her father had been there to see if the potion would work on Bae's cloak. Out of nowhere, Hook appeared and shot her. The impact caused her to fall over the line and she lost her memories.

"Papa, it'll be okay. We'll find a way to get her memories back" she whispered.

"I'm going to kill that" he started.

"No. Don't go anywhere near Hook"

"Are you defending that pirate?" he asked, viciously.

"N—no. I just…you're not in the best mental state right now. You need to calm down before you rush into something you'll regret. Belle wouldn't want you to give into that hatred"

A nurse called out to her. She assured her father that Belle would recover. Not wanting him to attack anyone in the hospital, she pleaded with him to just sit in the waiting room until she returned. Devon offered to stay with him. She went into one of the rooms. Belle was laying on a bed. Seeing Aria, she sat up. Aria smiled kindly.

"Don't worry. I'm a doctor here. My name's Aria"

"Can you help me?"

"I'm going to try to…it might take some time"

"I—I saw something. This man…he—he healed me with his hand and then he made this ball of fire"

Listening to Belle's story, she nodded. She slipped an anesthetic into the IV connected to her arm. Belle rambled on about the strange man. She knew it had to be her father. With Belle's memories gone, she did not remember anything about the Enchanted Forest, including magic. Belle fell asleep within a few minutes. Alicia passed by, telling her that she was going to check on Hook. Aria headed back to the waiting room. Snow, David, Ruby, and Leroy were standing around, attempting to use a phone. She walked over to them. David said that it belonged to the stranger. Taking the phone, Aria used a bobby pin on a small hole at the top. The phone broke through the password. Emma walked down the staircase. She had been visiting Hook. Aria tried to ignore the brief feeling of worry in her head. Emma questioned him about Cora's whereabouts. Hook claimed that he had no idea because Cora was on her own agenda.

Aria looked through the stranger's phone. His name was Greg Mendell. He seemed like a normal person, taking pictures of himself at various places and his food. Everyone worried about other strangers coming into the town. Leroy brought up movies like E.T., where they wanted to dissect strange creatures. Ruby glared when he said they would do that to a werewolf. With magic in Storybrooke, it could lead to problems. It was only a matter of time before family or friends looked for him. Snow brought up the fact that Cora was somewhere in the town. It turned out that Archie did not die. He had been hidden in Hook's ship. Cora faked his death and framed Regina. Snow was concerned that if Regina and Cora found each other, they could cause a lot of chaos. Ruby told them that she could not track her scent. Emma tried to calm them down, believing Greg would be patched up soon and sent home. Victor walked over to them. He told them that Greg had very bad internal bleeding, causing him to bleed into his chest cavity.

"Then you and Aria can make it stop. You're doctors" said Emma.

Victor went over to Aria's father. He was coming down the staircase with Devon. Aria shot Devon a questioning look.

"I couldn't stop him. He wanted to see Belle" he mouthed.

Her father looked a bit broken. There was a sadness in his eyes. She bit her lip lightly. Victor asked him to help fix Greg's injuries. Her father refused, getting a bit hostile.

"And before you bring Aria into this to get your way, she wouldn't make me do that either" he told David.

David crossed his arms. "She knows it would be risky to use magic. It would make the man raise questions…since he already saw me use magic before his accident. So you better hope he dies or there are going to be tour buses along main street. So glad I don't give a damn"

Her father left the hospital. While they argued about what to do with the stranger, Aria went over to Devon.

"Why would you let him see her?"

"I couldn't really stop him, Aria. He's upset. He tried to kiss her to bring her memories back…but she flipped out. True love's kiss didn't even work"

"Because she doesn't remember him. Maybe I should go and"

"No. You need to stay here. Let him be on his own for a bit"

She overheard Victor suggest that they let the stranger die. He said it would be easy to ignore his injuries. She glared at him.

"We aren't letting him die"

"Aria, he could've seen magic. What if" started Leroy.

"I don't give a damn. He's an innocent person"

Only Leroy did not agree. He seemed to be too preoccupied with outsiders coming into the town.

"We are doing this surgery, Whale. So go wash your hands and if I don't see you in the operating room, you're going to end up in an accident yourself"

As Victor left, Aria heard weird music. She glanced at Greg's phone. Someone was calling him. The ID simply said 'Her'. Aria waited for Victor by the operating room. He did not show up. Worried, she returned to the waiting room.

"Aria? You're done already?" asked Ruby, surprised.

"No, I—where's Whale? I can't find him"

Aria called his phone. She heard a vibrating sound. Emma dug through a pile of clothes in a hamper. She pulled out one of the coats, finding his phone. Ruby sniffed it, getting a boozy scent. She offered to find him. While Ruby left, Emma told Aria to continue with the surgery. Aria could not perform it by herself. The surgery was too difficult for one person. She would ask Alicia to step in for Whale but the woman fainted at the sight of too much blood.

"We don't even know where Whale is, Aria"

"I'll help"

Aria looked at Devon. He had no training in healing or medicine. Despite his lack of medical training, he said that she could guide him through the procedure. She was a bit reluctant but had no other choice. Devon followed her to the operating room. He grabbed her hand.

"You can do this. We'll do this together…like we have since we were little. We always have each other's back"

She smiled. "Aren't you a sweet little couple?"

Aria looked into a nearby room. Hook was laying on a bed. His hand had been chained to the bedpost. She did not see his hook anywhere. Devon glared at him. She told Devon to get ready for the surgery. As he walked down the hallway, she entered the room. Hook had multiple cuts on his face and dried blood on the side of his head. She looked at a chart near the bed. It listed injuries like cracked ribs and bruises.

"I'm quite surprised you are with a boy like that. I thought you'd prefer someone with more…danger"

"Devon's just my friend. What do you want? You made that snide comment for a reason"

"I want you to accept my apology…for hurting you"

She sighed. "I do. I accept that you're just a hot-headed jerk"

As she started to leave, he grabbed her wrist. She looked at him. He chuckled.

"I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable in this robe. Perhaps you could take it off for me"

"I don't have time for your games"

"Is there another game you would enjoy? One that involves far less clothing…"

"Keep it up and I'll crack more ribs"

"I believe there's another part of body that desires your attention" he said, licking his lips.

She leaned closer to him. Their noses were practically touching.

"I'm sure every part of you desires me" she whispered, playing his same little game.

He smirked. Aria left the room. Once she got prepped for the surgery, she went into the operating room with Devon. They started the surgery on Greg. Devon did not do much besides giving her the proper tools. Halfway through the surgery, Victor arrived. He apologized for leaving the hospital. Together, they fixed up Greg. A nurse brought him into another room to recover.

"Is everything all right?" she asked Victor.

He nodded. "It will be"

As she left to change out of the scrubs, she saw her father. He was walking out of Belle's room.

"Papa?" she asked, noticing tears in his eyes.

"Aria. You need to pack a bag"

"Why? What happened?"

"We're going to find Baelfire. I made enough potion to enchant something for you. We can leave as early as tonight. I know how to find him"

"I can't leave. I have a job"

Her father said it was too dangerous to stay in the town with Cora and Hook around. She assured him that she could take care of herself. He cupped her cheek.

"I want you to come with me. He's your brother"

"I'll meet him when you come back. Someone has to stay here to make sure Cora doesn't destroy the town. I promise to watch over Belle"

"I will be back before the curse enacts itself. Do not put yourself in danger"

She hugged him. "I hope you find him, papa"

"When I return, we'll be a true family…you, me, and Bae"

Aria nodded. As she watched him walk down the staircase, she played with the dagger charm on her necklace…

* * *

**A/N: So even though Aria said she is not going with her father to Manhattan, she will be there. The circumstances behind her trip there are going to be revealed in an upcoming chapter. Manhattan is going to play an important role for Aria. There will be major secrets revealed by existing characters and some new characters that she meets in the city. This trip to Manhattan is going to be a turning point for Aria in terms of her future. **


	18. Giant Problems

-The next day- Aria woke up, feeling very tired. It had been a long night. She went downstairs, smelling pancakes. Annabeth was cooking in the kitchen. Watching her, Aria poured herself a cup of coffee. Annabeth smiled.

"I heard you were quite the hero last night, saving that stranger"

"It's my job. If Whale didn't come back, I'm not sure the guy would've lived though"

"Well I am glad that he is safe. I also heard that Rumplestiltskin left town this morning…with Emma and Henry"

Aria remembered Emma mentioning a deal with her father. It was before the curse broke. Emma wanted Ashley to keep her baby. Ashley had a deal so that he would take the baby from her when it was born. To replace Ashley's deal, Emma made her own deal with him. He must be using Emma's knowledge of the world outside Storybrooke to help him find Baelfire. She told Annabeth about his trip to reunite with his son, explaining it was the reason behind the curse that brought them here.

"Yes, I'm aware. He stopped by last night before you returned home. He asked me to keep you safe…and away from Hook"

Aria put down her coffee. "Why would he bring up Hook?"

"Because he knows how you are, just as I do, Aria. You don't think before you do something and then you get in situations like on Hook's ship"

"I'm fine. He even apologized. It was impulse, Annabeth. He"

Annabeth looked at her. "Do not feel sympathy for that pirate. Manipulation is what they're all about. They use their charm and good looks to deceive people"

"I'm not feeling sympathy. I'm not swayed by a handsome face. You know I'm smarter than that"

As they ate breakfast, Aria wondered why her father would bring up Hook but not Cora. Did he really think she would keep encountering him? Aria wanted nothing to do with Hook. She would only see him due to her job at the hospital. It annoyed her that both he and Annabeth thought he could manipulate her. Aria was not foolish. She could see through his charm, unlike most girls. Besides warning Annabeth about Hook, he put an enchantment over the house. It would prevent anyone from entering without permission. Annabeth expressed worry about Regina and Cora. She recalled how Regina attempted to recruit Aria to her side due to her skills.

"I would never let them hurt you or anyone else I care about. I haven't even seen Regina. Stop worrying"

"I want you to call me during your break"

"I will. I will even call you everytime I see a patient" she replied, dramatically.

Annabeth pursed her lips. Aria smiled and left the house. She headed to the hospital. As she walked through the doors, Elizabeth hurried over to her. She worked as one of the nurses. Despite her kind demeanor, Elizabeth tended to be a bit ditzy. She only worked at the hospital because her mother wanted her to have some kind of job. Normally, she spent her time by flirting with cute guys in the hospital. Aria was sure that Elizabeth had tried to talk to Hook, remembering they spent time together in the pub back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Aria, we have a problem"

"It's not even noon yet. What could have happened?"

"They're trying to take Hook out of his room. I told them that it wasn't allowed because he's still recovering"

Confused, Aria headed up to Hook's room. She saw David, Leroy, and Snow. There was a bow and quiver hanging from Snow's back. David looked frustrated with Hook. They were arguing. Hook still had his hand chained to the bed. He could barely move. David went to hit his side. Aria moved between them. She kept David back.

"David, stop. What are you doing?"

"He needs to come with us. We have to find Cora and he's going to help us find her"

"He can't go anywhere. He has cracked ribs. The only thing he's doing is resting"

"Aria, it's our job to keep this town safe while Emma's gone"

"Such a caring prince" said Hook, sarcastically.

David glared at him. Aria sighed. His derisive comments were only going to make his situation worse. Snow promised that they would bring him back once they found Cora. Aria made them wait outside. She unlocked the chain on his hand. He sat up, weakly.

"I didn't take you as the type to be pushed around, love"

"Would you rather David knock you out and drag you out? Just cooperate"

She opened a pill bottle, pouring two pills into her hand. He looked a bit wary.

"It'll keep the pain down a bit"

"I don't want them"

"Do you have to be this dramatic?"

She forced him to swallow the pills. He grimaced. Handing him his clothes, she let him get changed. She glared when David pushed him out the door. He was going to make Hook's injuries even worse. Snow gave her an apologetic look. Aria watched Hook struggle to walk. There was no reason to get him involved with finding Cora. She spent the next few hours by taking care of various people, from a boy who feigned the flu to get out of a math test to a woman with a sprained wrist. As she promised, she called Annabeth during her lunch break. She glanced at the clock. They had been gone with Hook for hours. How long did it take to check a ship for a single person? She heard someone shouting. It came from the waiting room. She headed over there, seeing Belle shouting at Ruby. Belle looked very panicked. Aria walked over to her.

"Belle" said Ruby.

"Don't call me that. Why is everyone calling me that?!"

Speaking calmly, Aria got her to sit down. Irene, a strict nurse, gave her a tranquilizer. Belle slowly began to relax. Aria felt terrible. Losing her memories was making her erratic. She could not even imagine what Belle must be feeling. Irene took her out of the room. Greg was in the doorway, watching Belle.

"What happened?" she whispered to Ruby.

"I brought her a book and she mentioned seeing Gold use magic. I tried telling her that it was just a hallucination from the medicine but she freaked out. Aria, I didn't mean to"

"It's not your fault, Ruby"

Ruby nodded and suggested that they should have a night out at the bar. After everything that had been going on, Aria definitely needed some time to relax. She told Ruby that she would call her after her shift. Ruby left the hospital. Greg questioned her about Belle.

"She'll be fine, Mr. Mendell. I see you're feeling better"

"Yes, much improved. You're one of the doctors here?"

She nodded. "My name's Aria. Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to get out of that room"

"I understand. You're welcome to stay in here"

He sat in one of the chairs. Aria thought about Greg possibly seeing her father use magic. She decided to get to know him better. It would be a covert way to find out what he remembered about that night. She talked to him about random things. Greg mentioned that before the accident, he was on his way to Canada. He had gotten lost and went towards Storybrooke to get directions.

"Do you live in Canada?"

"No. I like to travel. I've been all over the country…even to Europe"

Even back in the Enchanted Forest, Aria wanted to explore the land. The only way she did that was going to the various kingdoms for King George. Besides those little journeys, she rarely left the castle. King George kept her locked up like some prisoner. She wanted to see more of the world. Greg told her about a trip he took to Australia during the summer.

"That's really cool. I've never even been outside of here"

"I'm sure anyone would love to take a pretty girl like you anywhere you wanted"

She smiled. Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Snow, urging her to hurry to Granny's diner. Cora had brought the giant from the beanstalk onto Hook's ship. Using some kind of spell, she shrunk him down to normal size and trapped him in a cage. When David freed him, the giant went ballistic and attempted to hurt him. Aria had encountered a giant before when James was still the prince. She realized why the giant attacked David.

"I have to go meet someone. It was really nice talking to you, Mr. Mendell"

"You can call me Greg, you know"

Aria left the hospital. As she headed for the diner, the ground shook wildly. People ran past her, screaming. Her eyes widened, seeing a giant. As he took a single step, it caused a miniature earthquake. She steadied herself, leaning against a building. The giant threw objects around. She told the other residents to hide in the Town Hall for safety. Going into her father's shop, she found a knife hidden in one of the drawers. She placed it into her boot and went back outside to find Snow and David. The giant tossed a car into the air. It was about to hit her. An arm wrapped around her waist, forcing her into a nearby alley. The car slammed into the ground. Hook was in front of her. She smacked him.

"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek.

"You brought a giant here!"

"Cora did, not me. I had no part in it"

"He was on your ship"

"She didn't tell me what was in the cage. It was covered the entire time. Regina returned him to his usual size"

Aria should have known that Regina could not change. Even for Henry, it was impossible for her to be a good person, shown by the fact that she sided with her mother. Regina wanted Emma, Snow, and David gone. They were obstacles to her getting back Henry. The giant would take care of David and Snow due to his misplaced anger. She checked for the giant, peeking out from the alley. He was still in the same spot. She could hear David shouting, telling him that it was James who hurt the giant, not him. The giant did not look convinced. Snow mentioned that Emma, who had spared his life, was their daughter. He asked to speak to her. Snow's voice faltered, trying to explain that she left town. It just seemed to make him angrier.

"It's best to stay here until he calms down. Luckily, his anger is directed at the prince so—what the bloody hell are you doing?!"

Aria was climbing on top of a trash can. Hook pulled her down.

"Have you lost your mind? You are going to get yourself killed. You can't fight a giant"

"Let go of me!"

"You can't be this reckless. Believe it or not, I don't want to see him crush you into dust"

She elbowed his side. He groaned in pain. She climbed onto the trash can and jumped up to grab onto the roof ledge of a small building. The buildings were close enough together that she could move across the roofs. Snow, David, and Leroy were running from the giant. She grabbed a rock, chucking it at his head. He turned around.

"Aria! What are you doing?!" shouted Snow, eyes wide.

Aria threw another rock at him. The giant snarled and went over to her. Before she could say anything, he picked her up. She struggled to breathe.

"Anton, it's me. It's Aria. You know me. I met you in the pub…with James and Jacqueline"

He moved her closer to him, examining her face. "I—I showed you a harp and I made this little necklace from flowers in the forest"

"I remember you"

"I swear that David is telling the truth. James was killed years ago. You don't need to hurt him"

"I won't hurt you, little one. You showed me true kindness. You are different from the other humans. I can't spare them"

Anton continued to chase after David. As they neared the docks, David told him to stop. He offered him a deal. If he let Anton kill him, he had to spare the rest of the town. Anton agreed and lunged at David. At the last second, Snow pulled David aside. Anton was stuck in the ground. Blue smoke enveloped both of them. He shrunk back to a smaller size. It caused them to fall through the hole. Anton grabbed onto a wooden beam while she grabbed his waist. She could not see the bottom of the hole.

"David!"

"Aria, just hold on! We'll get you both out of there!"

A few minutes later, a rope descended down the hole. David used it to climb down. He urged Anton to take his hand. Anton refused, wanting to die.

"Anton, please. I promise you that humans are good. James and Jack were wrong to…do what they did but we're not all like that" said Aria.

He grabbed onto David. They were pulled out of the hole. Aria panted heavily. Her friends tackled her to the ground in a hug.

"Guys" she said, unable to breathe.

They finally let her go. As she stood up, she saw Snow and Annabeth. Both of them reprimanded her, sounding like her mother. They lectured her for being irresponsible and careless. When she tried to defend herself, Annabeth shot her a stern look. She decided to just let them get their anger out. They went over to the diner. Anton seemed a bit anxious. She grabbed his hand.

"You'll like it here, Anton. You don't need to worry about feeling alone"

"Thank you"

Ruby poured beers for everyone. Snow told Anton that everyone missed their old home just like him. He asked about the soil here. From his pocket, he took out a vial with a plant stem inside. He explained that it came from a beanstalk. If he could plant it, he could grow magic beans to get back to the Enchanted Forest. David looked excited by the idea. Aria stared into her mug. Part of her did not want to go back. In the Enchanted Forest, she had been the property of King George for most of her life. She could be anything she wanted in this world. It had all kinds of opportunities. Besides that, both she and Snow knew that the land was not the same. Regina's curse destroyed it so badly that it would require years of repair. He warned them that Cora brought him here to grow the beans. It had to be part of some sinister scheme. Later that night, she headed to the bar with her friends. They all talked about Anton's idea about the beans.

"Aria, what do you think?" asked Jane.

"It would be nice to go back…but I like it here too"

"Let's not worry about it. They won't grow overnight" said Devon.

He looked at her. "Did you see Hook at all? He disappeared after we found the giant on his ship"

"No. I didn't see him at all" she lied.

"Probably hiding with Cora and Regina. Rumplestiltskin picked a bad time to leave town"

Aria nodded. She spent the rest of the night hanging out with her friends and thinking about the magic beans…


	19. Suspicions

-The next day- Aria had her first day off in a while. No one at the hospital was able to find Hook. He never returned to his room. She assumed, like Devon said, that he hid with Cora and Regina. It would be a lost cause to convince him to stay in the hospital to heal his injuries. He was too stubborn to listen. Her friends called her to hang out at the park. Devon and the other knights were going to be brushing on their sword-fighting skills. David wanted them to be trained up in the event that they needed to fight Regina's guards. Aria went into the bathroom, rubbing her eyes. As she turned on the sink, the handle snapped off. Water sprayed in her face. She tried to re-attach the handle. The entire sink collapsed. Annabeth knocked on the door, asking if something was wrong. Aria claimed to be taking a shower. She used magic to repair the sink. Looking in the mirror, she noticed that the heart charm was missing from her necklace. She remembered seeing it before she helped out yesterday with Anton. A bad feeling in the pit of her stomach told her it had fallen when they were in that hole. She found it hard not to panic. Ever since she was a little girl, she had that fairy dust. It was keeping her magic from going out of control. She worried about what might happen. Taking out her phone, she thought of texting her father. There was a voicemail from him. He said that they arrived in Manhattan. She assumed Baelfire must be in that city. There was this cheerful tone to his voice. She did not want to worry him. Instead of telling him about her new problem, she texted that she was happy he was close to finding Baelfire. She reached for the doorknob. Stopping herself, she pushed it with a single finger carefully.

She went into her room. Taking out her mother's book, she searched for any kind of solution. It had no useful information. She tried to calm herself down. Once she got dressed, she headed down to the park. Jane, Marissa, Ruby, and Ashley were sitting on a blanket over the grass. They watched as Devon and his friends practiced with wooden swords. Aria walked over to them. She sat beside Marissa and joked that the guys would scare Regina by giving her splinters. The girls giggled. Tristan playfully glared.

"Well this world doesn't have real swords. David's having the old blacksmiths make them but it takes time. You should've brought some back when you were in the Enchanted Forest"

"You're right, Tristan. Because while I was fighting for my life, I kept thinking about swords"

They practiced for a few hours. Aria shook her head. Some of them had poor form. She grabbed one of the wooden swords.

"Aria, don't act like you're ever going to fight" said Oliver.

Of all of Devon's knight friends, she liked Oliver the least. He tended to be a bit sexist. Back in the Enchanted Forest, he acted like girls were not allowed to do anything but cook and clean. He had seen her skill with a sword many times. Despite her superior ability, he would still degrade her by saying she was just a girl. She pouted.

"Aw, is Ollie jealous that a girl is a better fighter than him?"

Devon laughed, putting his arm around her. "I could beat you anytime" replied Oliver, angrily.

"Then fight me now…unless you're scared"

She went over to him, ready for a fight…

~Killian~

Killian was heading for the library with Regina and Cora. Yesterday, Rumplestiltskin left the town with the Swan girl and her son. Now that he crossed the town line, he lost his magic. Though Killian wanted to simply follow him and attack him when he was weak, Cora told him that was a foolish idea. She said they could search for his dagger. Whoever possessed this magical dagger could control him. It was the only way to truly kill the Dark One. Regina assumed that Belle, being Rumplestiltskin's love, would know of its location. She visited the confused girl in her hospital room and retrieved a paper in her bag. It had random numbers written on it. They decided to go to the library, thinking the dagger could be hidden there. With his hook taken from him, he attached a fake hand in its place. Killian was furious that he did not have his hook. He knew that the prince and his beloved wife must have it somewhere. As they walked through the town, he heard loud cheering. He looked over at the park. Aria was there with her friends. The boys had wooden swords in their hands. They seemed to be practicing in case of a fight. Killian looked at the brunette boy next to Aria. He had seen them together at the hospital and other places in the town. They appeared to be very close friends, possibly more. His name was Devon and he was one of Snow and Charming's knights. He had been with them when they forced Killian to take them to his ship. The boy acted like a typical knight, brave, loyal, and kind-hearted. Killian glared slightly when he put his arm around her. Aria had a sword in her hand. She was talking to one of the boys, who looked angry. Cora suggested that Aria could know about the dagger.

"I wouldn't bother asking her, mother. That girl is a brat. We could threaten her and she would still have that infuriating smile on her face"

The girls cheered as Aria dodged the boy's sword. For someone so young and petite, she was a very skilled fighter. She flipped him onto his back. Regina sneered. Killian remembered Cora mentioning that Regina had asked Aria to join her in the past. Aria refused, leading to the current animosity between them. Cora continued to watch her.

"There's something different about her" she whispered.

"Different?" he asked.

"I know I have seen her before. We'll need to keep a close eye"

They continued towards the library…

~Aria~

Aria had just beaten Oliver for the fifth time. He was on his back, panting. She picked up his sword. Smirking, she teased him for being beaten by a girl. He got up and snatched the sword back. Not saying a word, he walked away. Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Sore loser"

"You know how Oliver is, Ruby. He hates losing" said Tristan.

"You were amazing, Aria. I never knew you were that good with a sword" said Ashley, smiling.

"I have my secrets" she joked.

After practicing for a bit longer, they decided to end the training. Ashley had go to back to the house to watch Alexandra while Thomas went to his job at the cannery. Ruby needed to go to the diner for her shift. Aria walked down the street with Marissa, Jane, and Devon. She looked over at the library. With Belle in the hospital, the library was not being used. Aria wanted to finish setting it up. Belle had planned on opening it next week. As she reached for the door, she noticed it was unlocked.

"Someone's in there. They couldn't get in without the key"

"Or magic. Come on" said Devon.

They snuck over to the side of the building. Climbing on top of some crates, they could see through the windows. Regina, Cora, and Hook were in the library. Cora dressed in a similar style to Regina with a blazer and dress pants. The normal clothes just made her seem more menacing. They had a map in front of them. Aria brushed her fingers against the glass. She was able to hear their conversation. Jane looked at her, surprised.

"You're using your magic? Didn't Rumplestiltskin tell you not to?"

"My charm with the fairy dust is gone. I think it fell down that hole yesterday. Without that, my magic isn't going to stay locked up. Besides, I think he would approve of me using it right now, Jane"

Hook tapped part of the map. "That should be the location of the dagger"

Her eyes widened. They were searching for her father's dagger. Somehow, they must have found the map he hid in the library. She looked over at her friends. They had the same uneasy expressions. If someone like Cora had the dagger, it would mean nothing but trouble. She could either control her father to kill innocent people or become the Dark One herself. Cora took the map off of the table.

"Wait! You promised me!"

She pushed her hand forward. Hook was thrown back, knocking into a bookshelf. He fell unconscious.

"He has really bad luck around books"

"Marissa, this isn't the time to be funny" said Devon.

Cora told Regina that once they found the dagger, she could use it to kill Snow, David, Emma, and anyone else she wanted. It would guarantee that Henry would belong to Regina. Aria scrunched her nose in disgust.

"What do we do, Aria?"

"Nothing"

She got down from the crate. Staying hidden, she watched Regina and Cora leave the library. Devon looked at her, confused.

"Nothing? But they have a map to"

"It's a false trail. Rumplestiltskin's not an idiot, Devon. He hid it somewhere very clever. Don't mention this to anyone yet. We've got some time while they look in the wrong place"

Her phone vibrated. It was Victor. He asked her to cover his late-night shift and he promised to cover her entire shift tomorrow. She sighed.

"I should just take it"

"Aria, no. He's probably too drunk and doesn't want to work" whined Marissa.

"I don't mind. I'll meet you and Jane at your apartment once I'm done. I'll stop at Granny's on the way to get us some food"

Aria went to the hospital. Thankfully, there was not much to do. She spent most of the time in her office. Her phone vibrated again. It was her father. She picked up, smiling.

"Hey. Do you have good news?"

"We found Bae…but he's not very happy too see me"

"Dad, you need to give it time. You haven't seen each other in hundreds of years. It's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows at first. It'll get better"

"I suppose. I am going to try to get him back to Storybrooke"

"Don't push him into anything. I'll talk to you later"

Aria could tell that her father was a bit dejected. He had always wanted to be reunited with Baelfire. She knew all about how he used a magic bean to escape the Enchanted Forest. Baelfire did not approve of their father being the Dark One. He wanted to go to a land without magic to have his father back, the way he was before his curse. It would not be easy to mend their relationship. She decided to end her shift early since the hospital was not busy. At a quarter to eight, she left the office. She covered her mouth, yawning.

"Someone looks tired"

Turning around, she saw Greg. He was carrying a small duffel bag.

"Life of a doctor…you never stop working. Are you going home, Mr. Mendell?"

"I thought I told you to call me Greg"

"Sorry. It's a habit"

"I actually think I'm going to stay for a while. The hospital said I could leave but I feel like I might need a week or two to get back to my usual self"

Aria tried to hide her surprise. The other residents would not take kindly to this news. Most of them just wanted him gone. With Cora and Regina looking for the dagger, they could cause a lot of problems. The situation would be made worse if Greg stumbled upon them using magic.

"Maybe you could be my tour guide"

"Of course. You'll love this town"

"The view is beautiful"

He was definitely not talking about the town. She simply smiled. As he left, she called Snow. She warned her about Greg staying at the inn. Snow freaked out, asking why he would not leave if he felt better. Aria did find it a bit suspicious. She told her that they would talk it over with David tomorrow. Hanging up, she left the hospital. Aria stopped at Granny's diner. She got some food for her, Jane, and Marissa. They had planned a girls' night. The three of them would just sit in the apartment, watching movies, gossiping, and eating junk food. Aria snuck a few bottles of whiskey from a cabinet in Victor's office. Since she had to cover his shift, this would be his way of paying her back. Carrying the liquor and food, she headed for their apartment. She opened the door. The lights were off and it was oddly quiet. Usually, Marissa had music blaring, gaining them complaints from their neighbors. Aria thought they were planning some prank. Playing along, she pretended to be scared.

"If you make me scream, I'll let you have all this whiskey to yourself" she joked.

"A—Aria"

"Jane, if that's your best impression of a ghost, it was really bad"

She giggled and entered the living room. The sight in front of her almost made her drop the bags in her arms. Jane and Marissa were sitting on the couch. Hook stood behind them with a gun to Jane's head and his hook pressed against Marissa's neck...


	20. The Hotel

Hook stood behind them with a gun to Jane's head and his hook pressed against Marissa's neck. Aria thought she had to be hallucinating. What could he possibly be doing in their apartment? She put down the bags and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Apologies for interrupting your little get-together. You are taking me to Rumplestiltskin in one of those carriages"

"I am not taking you anywhere, you delusional nutcase. Get out before I make you lose your other hand"

"Then I suppose I'll dispose of your little friends. I'll let you choose who I kill first"

Jane let out a small whimper. Aria glared. It was like a staring contest, waiting for the first person to blink. His hook dug into Marissa's skin, drawing blood. She winced. Aria did not want him to hurt her friends. She agreed to take him and told him to wait outside while she spoke with the girls. He left them alone.

"Aria, you can't go with him alone. I can call Devon and"

"No. Marissa, this isn't a joke. I'm not putting you at risk. Wait at least an hour so that we're out of town then go to Snow and David. Tell them where I'll be and that they shouldn't worry. Warn them that Cora and Regina are looking for the dagger. In the morning, you'll tell my mother the same thing"

"Be careful. Don't let him hurt you"

Aria hugged them. They did not want to let go. She walked out of the apartment. Hook was leaning against the wall. Her fists clenched. In her head, she imagined strangling him for threatening her friends. She returned to her house. Her father's enchantment prevented him from following her. Aria lifted it by inviting him inside. She went into her room and packed a small tote bag with clothes and other belongings, including her mother's book, her collection of herbs, and a knife. Hook was waiting, impatiently. She looked over his appearance.

"You need to change"

"What?"

"In this world, people don't dress like that. I am not going to be embarrassed by you. We'd probably get arrested because some cop thinks you're a lunatic…though he would be right. You've got to at least change the shirt and hide the hook. Even Cora updated her style"

Opening the dresser, she took out a black v-neck long-sleeved shirt. It belonged to Alec during the curse. She tossed it at him and waited for him by the front door. After a few minutes, he walked down the hallway. The shirt was a bit tight on him, showing off his biceps. He had attached some kind of prosthetic hand to replace his hook. They went back outside. Her black sports car was parked on the sidewalk. He looked at it, strangely. Rolling her eyes, she opened the door for him.

"Do you need me to help you sit too, sweetie? I'll give you a tip. Just slowly lower yourself onto the seat"

He glared and got into the car. She sat in the driver's seat. Starting the engine, she put directions into her GPS. It showed her how to get to Manhattan. Aria inwardly screamed at the idea of being in a car with this moron for almost six hours. He tapped the screen. She smacked his hand away. He threatened her to be a bit nicer, showing his hook hidden in his satchel. She merely rolled her eyes. Aria took out the potion made by her and her father. She poured it over her necklace, hoping it kept her memories intact. As she passed the town line, she felt a slight tingling sensation. She did not lose her memories. When she thought of ever leaving Storybrooke, it was not with Hook in mind. She followed the directions from the GPS.

"Why the hell do I have to take you?"

"You're close to Rumplestiltskin. You'll be good leverage"

"So you're still delusional"

"He's powerless outside of town. He can't rely on magic"

"He didn't use magic when he beat you into a bloody mess with his cane...or was that part of some twisted scheme in your little mind?"

Hook scowled. He stared out the window. After driving for about four hours, she started to feel tired. She stopped at a nearby hotel. He glanced around, confused.

"This isn't a town. Why are we here?"

"Because I need to sleep. Unlike you, I have a job. My life doesn't revolve around getting revenge over something that happened a million years ago. Trust me, he'll be in Manhattan for a while"

"What is this place?"

"Just follow me and say nothing"

They walked into the hotel. There was a woman behind the receptionist desk. She smiled.

"Hello. Would you like a room?"

"Yes, please"

"Do you and your boyfriend want one of our romantic suites?"

Aria resisted the urge to puke. How could this woman think they were a couple? She had to be blind. Hook was watching a fountain in the middle of the lobby. A model ship floated around. He reached for the ship, retracting his hand when water shot up from the bottom of the fountain. It was like dealing with a child.

"He's my brother. We'll have a suite with two beds"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed…so, is he single?"

"He's not into girls. Sorry to disappoint you. Can I just have our room?"

The woman handed her a keycard. She waved at Hook, flirtatiously. Aria pulled him over to the elevator. Once they reached the top floor, she found their room. It was one of the luxury suites. If Aria had to be in a hotel with him, she wanted to enjoy it. She groaned, only seeing one bed. That receptionist was probably distracted from attempting to get Hook's attention.

"There's one bed"

"Are you serious? You know what? Your new nickname is Captain Obvious. I can see that there is only one bed. Can you tell that you're a guy too? Amaze me with your knowledge"

"I was making an observation"

"Well keep them to yourself. That woman was so busy trying to imagine your tongue in her mouth that she messed up the room"

His lip curled in disgust. She put her bag down on the bed. The pillows had little chocolates on top of them. She turned on the television and flipped through the channels. Aria could not deny that being outside of Storybrooke was exciting. It felt like a new kind of freedom. As she sat on the bed, legs crossed, she opened one of the chocolates. Hook looked irritated.

"I thought you were tired. Isn't that why we stopped here?"

"Stop your whining. Would it kill you to have fun for once?"

"I didn't leave the town to have fun. I left to"

"Get revenge on Rumplestiltskin…blah, blah, blah. Is that all you ever think about?"

He watched the cartoon on the television. Aria knew that he was out of his element. He had only been in this world for almost a week. It was very different from the Enchanted Forest and other lands he had visited. He did not just need her as leverage against her father. She was someone who could guide him through this new world. Without her help, he would be unable to find his way around the city. She flicked a chocolate at him. It hit his cheek. When he turned to her, she pretended to be texting on her phone. She kept throwing the chocolates at him. After the tenth time, he chucked it back at her. Aria suppressed a smile. She went over to the fridge where there were miniature bottles of alcohol. They looked like they could be used for dolls.

"You act like a child"

She glared. "You know what? Maybe I'm just happy that for once, I'm not stuck somewhere. I was stuck in that town for 28 years without my memories and then even after the curse broke, I couldn't leave. Back home? I was just the king's prized pony that had to be ridden by every man with a pocket of gold so he could keep being a jerk to the people in his kingdom. So yea, I'm going to be excited by all this because it's the first time that I don't have to be trapped"

Angrily, she went into the bathroom and slammed the door. The lights were flickering. Aria tried to calm herself down. She heard him shouting and assumed he was fighting with the television, thinking it was talking to him. After a few minutes, her anger subsided. He was not going to ruin her night here. She left the bathroom and heard a knock at the door. He got up from the bed. She wondered who could be coming to their room. When he opened the door, she saw a man in some uniform.

"I have your order here, sir. Next time, you don't need to shout into the phone"

Hook took a tray from him. Aria looked at him, strangely.

"You used the phone"

"It's an odd machine…but faster than letters"

Hook put the tray down on a nearby table. She could not imagine him ordering room service, let alone using a phone. He said he ordered it for her as an apology. It was called the pirate's treasure. She shook her head at him. It would be just like him to choose something associated with pirates. She took off the cover. There was a large chocolate cake drizzled in chocolate sauce with frosting designed into little waves and strawberries arranged along the bottom. The top of the cake had a little pirate ship figurine. He picked it up.

"This ship wouldn't last a minute in the water"

For the first time that night, she laughed. He chuckled, a smile on his face. His eyes lit up when he smiled. Aria thought he should do that more often. She dipped one of the strawberries into the chocolate sauce and bit into it. Giving him a fork, they ate the cake. It made her forget all of her anger towards him earlier in the night.

"I didn't mean to upset you before"

"Just forget" she started.

"No. I tend to forget that in our land, it is much harder if you are not a man. You were owned by the king?"

"Not literally. The kingdom needed money and he used me to get it. I didn't have much choice…"

"I would think you'd run away from that"

"Trust me, I tried leaving as soon as I could reach a door handle. He threatened to hurt my mother and I was willing to sacrifice my desire to leave so that she stayed safe"

Hook seemed sympathetic. She told him about this dream she had about exploring all different parts of the land. When she called it foolish, he disagreed. He understood her yearning for adventure. It was part of why he became a pirate. He said that nothing felt as good as complete freedom. She absentmindedly played with her necklace. His eyes were on the dagger charm.

"That's very special to you, isn't it? You often play with it"

"My dad gave it to my mom before he left. It was a few days after I was born. He said that if she held onto it and asked for him to come back, he would be there in an instant. She gave it to me when I started asking questions about him"

"Have you ever tried to find your father? What if he's in Storybrooke?"

"It would be awkward. He wasn't that well-liked. We never got to see each other much. I was barely 3 the last time I saw him. I don't think I'd even recognize him" she lied.

"At least you have your mother. She clearly cares very much for you"

Aria nodded. She thought about the night of her mother's death. Her brother had been searching for her for months. She hid in the village to avoid his knights. When his men were close to finding her, she forced Aria to stay in Annabeth's home. Her mother claimed that she was going out for a little trip. While Annabeth thought Aria had been asleep, Aria actually snuck out of a window. She found her mother surrounded by a group of knights in the forest. Her mother was laying on the ground with multiple wounds across her stomach. One of the men forced her to drink something, which caused her to go limp. When Aria thought about it years later, she knew it had been poison. The men carried her mother out of the forest. It was the last time that she ever saw her. Annabeth lied that her mother had been randomly killed while out of the village. Aria never admitted to knowing the truth. She snapped out of her thoughts. Hook was waving a hand in front of her face.

"I was just…I'm tired"

"That was a bad lie. You'll tell me in time"

"I'm not telling you anything"

"I like a challenge"

Aria opened her bag, taking out a camisole tank top and a pair of plaid cotton shorts. She felt him watching her. Most girls would be self-conscious to change in front of a man. She did not mind. As she picked up her bag, she turned around. Hook was doing a poor job of acting like he was watching the television.

"I think you enjoyed my show more than what's on there"

He smirked. She put the bag down on the floor. He took off his shirt. She noticed his well-defined muscles. Her eyes flickered to a tattoo on his wrist with '_Milah_' written across it. It was awkward to think that he had loved her father's wife. Deciding to get ice, she grabbed a bucket near the mini-fridge. She used the ice machine in the hallway.

"Well you make having to stay in this place worth it"

A guy in his mid 20s walked over to her. "I'm Kyle"

"Aria"

"A beautiful name for an even more beautiful girl"

She giggled. Kyle asked why she was at the hotel. She told him that she would just be staying for the night. He had come here for a week-long business conference. As he spoke, Aria could easily tell that he was flirting. She would not stop him. He was very cute. Both had flirtatious tones to their voices.

"So what's the conference for?"

"Oh, it's boring. The only good things so far are that they gave me a free bottle of wine and I got to meet a pretty girl like you"

"Free wine, huh?"

"It's really good. You should come to my room to try some"

"I'd like th"

She felt an arm snake around her. To her confusion, Hook was next to her, still shirtless. He squeezed her waist.

"Darling, here you are. I was beginning to worry"

Kyle looked embarrassed. Like that ditzy receptionist, he thought they were a couple. Before she could explain, she got forced back to the room. She put the bucket down and looked at Hook.

"What was that?"

"We aren't here so you can flirt with some fool"

"We were just talking"

"Oh yes, I'm sure he only wanted to talk. He was like a hawk about to swoop down on a field mouse"

She glared. He had no right to interfere with her life. It started an intense argument where they went back and forth. Aria was getting angrier by the minute.

"You don't have a say in what I do! I can do whatever I want! Stop acting like some weird jealous boyfriend!"

"That boy would not even know what to do with you. He was pathetic!"

"What the hell do you care if"

Her eyes widened when he kissed her. He forced her against the wall. His hand cupped her cheek. She shoved him off of her. A million thoughts were racing through her mind. Not saying a word, she ran out of the room…


	21. Broken Promises

-The next day- Aria's eyes fluttered open. She found herself in a supply closet, leaning against the wall. Not wanting to return to the room, she had fallen asleep in the closet. The events from last night kept playing in her head. No matter how hard she wanted to forget, it was impossible. She tried to come up with any kind of explanation. Hook knew that she had a close relationship to his enemy. He could be attempting to manipulate her so that she would be too distracted to stop him from hurting her father. It seemed the most reasonable to her. She returned to the hotel room. Hook was asleep on the bed. She snuck around quietly, grabbing her bag. Entering the bathroom, she got dressed. She put on some lip gloss. As the brush touched her lips, she had a brief flash of last night in her head. She cursed under her breath. Her phone vibrated.

"Hello?"

"Aria, did I wake you up?"

It was Emma. She sounded a bit nervous and jittery. Aria worried that something bad happened in the city.

"No. I was just getting ready. Are you okay?"

"Ye—no. I talked to Mary Margaret yesterday but it didn't help much. I thought you would understand better"

"Understand what?"

"Just with the whole Alec tricking you and you being together under the curse…and I just—how did you...I'm having a tough time"

"Emma, calm down. What's going on?"

The connection cut off. Aria was confused by what Emma said. What could possibly relate to her situation with Alec? She never heard Emma like that before, even after Graham's death. It was like something broke her emotionally. She left the bathroom, trying to call Emma again. Hook was putting on his shirt. He stopped, seeing her. She walked out of the room. Taking the elevator, she got down to the lobby and found her car outside. He showed up a few minutes later.

"Aria"

Ignoring him, she got into the car and started the engine. He pestered her as she drove. She kept her eyes directly on the road.

"You have to speak to me eventually"

To drown him out, she turned on the radio. She blared loud rock music. He resorted to staring at her. As they reached Manhattan, she started to crack. She gripped the wheel tightly. It was becoming more difficult to keep her magic under control. She thought about her father's advice when her magic first started to appear. He told her to take slow, deep breaths and keep her mind at ease.

"I still have that cake. Do you want some?" he asked, acting all casual and innocent.

Under the seat, he took out a container with the cake inside. She rolled down the window. Grabbing the container, she chucked it onto the road.

"I'll take that as a no"

She parked the car by the sidewalk. Hook tensed up.

"We stopped"

"I am like one second from screaming at you. I'm going to let you talk but you get me mad and I'm ditching you here. So talk about…"

"Our kiss"

"It wasn't _our_ kiss. You—I'm not falling for it. I'm not an idiot"

"And what exactly are you not falling for?"

"I see through your act. You're trying to manipulate me by acting all nice so that I won't stop you from killing Rumplestiltskin. Well that is not happening"

Aria was not going to be deceived by him. She understood his little game. Honestly, she used it herself on men back in the Enchanted Forest. She had done a similar scheme with the knights in King George's kingdom, flirting with them to let her go down to the village. Like her, Hook used his looks to get what he wanted. He was turning her seduction strategy against her. She would never let him hurt her father. He had a better chance of convincing Henry to kill him. Hook was quiet. She knew that she figured out his plan.

"You think you know everything, don't you? I am not putting on an act. This has nothing to do with him"

She scoffed, unconvinced. "Aria, I…care about you. I'm very attracted to you. I have been since we met"

"Like I haven't heard that before. The last guy who said that to me drugged my water so he could finally get what he wanted…and he died so that doesn't bode well for you"

"It isn't purely physical. I don't like you only for your looks. I'll prove it"

"I liked it better when we weren't talking. Just shut u"

"I won't kill Rumplestiltskin"

Aria looked at him. "Are you telling me I drove six hours for nothing?"

"If it proves how much I care for you, so be it"

She blinked a few times, unsure if she imagined his words. He seemed sincere. Aria tried to hide her shock. She did not expect him to make a promise like that. He was driven by his revenge for hundreds of years. Reluctantly, she trusted him. She could not deny that she felt at least a tiny attraction to Hook. Her thoughts went to Emma and their conversation this morning. She got out of the car.

"What are you doing?" said Hook.

"Looking for Emma. I think she's in trouble. Just stay in the car"

"I'm not letting you walk around alone"

Aria retrieved the address of Baelfire's apartment building from one of her father's messages. Manhattan was a very big city, especially compared to Storybrooke. After what felt like an eternity of walking, she found the building. Her phone vibrated in her coat pocket. It was Devon.

"Hey Devon"

"How could you leave?!"

"I'm guessing Jane and Marissa told you. I'm fine. I just got into the city. Please don't be mad. What's going on there?"

Devon told her that he had been spying on Cora and Regina with his friends. They spotted both women digging in the forest. She assured him that the actual dagger was not located there. Devon mentioned also seeing Alec go down to the mines late last night. Neither of them knew why would be in the mines. Anything Alec was doing must be related to Regina. She trusted him more than any other knights in her guard. Aria promised to come back to Storybrooke soon. As she hung up, she noticed that Hook was missing. She heard a loud crash from inside the apartment building. Opening the door, she saw Emma putting down a trash can. Hook was on the floor, unconscious. Her father leaned against a gate, breathing heavily. Blood seeped through his shirt. Emma's eyes widened.

"Aria? What are you doing here?"

She looked from her father to Hook. The tip of his hook was covered in blood.

"H—he promised" she whispered, her voice faltering.

Aria glanced away and went over to her father. She touched the wound. His hand rested over hers. She heard someone say Emma's name. The gate opened. There was a man in his mid 30s with short dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She realized that he must be his son. His eyes widened slightly.

"One of your dad's enemies found us"

Touching the wound, he got blood on his fingers. He looked at Aria. Neither he nor Emma could sense the awkwardness that Aria was feeling. She knew all about Baelfire but he knew nothing about her. When she imagined them meeting, it was not in this type of situation.

"Who's this?"

"Aria. She's a friend…she's close to your dad. Aria, this is Neal"

She somehow managed a smile. All she could think about was helping her father.

"Nice to meet you. We need to get him up to the apartment"

"We should tie up Hook too" said Emma.

She helped Neal carry her father up the stairs. Once they reached the apartment, she laid him down on a couch. Henry left one of the rooms. He looked surprised. Before he could say anything, Emma told him it was not the time to talk. She and Neal brought the unconscious Hook into another room. Aria unbuttoned her father's shirt to get a better look at his wound. Tears filled her eyes.

"Dad, this is my fault. Hook forced me to bring him here but he said he wouldn't—I'm so stupid. I let him trick me"

He wiped away a tear trickling down her cheek. "It's not your fault, dove. That's what pirates do"

"I'll fix this. You're going to be fine. I can stitch up the wound"

Aria went over to the sink, pouring a glass of water. As she reached for a small towel on the counter, she saw her father grab Henry roughly. He hissed under his breath, looking furious. Henry was shaking. Aria went over to him. She gave him her phone, asking him to charge it. He nodded and went into the bedroom. She walked back over to the couch. Her father drank the water.

"What was that? You scared Henry"

"He's the one, Aria…from the prophecy. He's going to"

"Dad, this isn't the time to worry about what some seer told you. We need to focus on keeping you alive"

A short time after Baelfire left the Enchanted Forest, her father found the seer who predicted that he would leave his son fatherless. He absorbed her abilities so that he could see the future himself. As a final prediction, she told him that a boy would lead him to Baelfire but also be his undoing. Her father assumed it meant his death. She did not want him to jump to conclusions. Henry was not going to harm him. Emma and Neal left the room where they tied up Hook. Aria used the towel to wipe away the blood. An abscess had formed, indicating an infection.

"What is that?" asked Emma, confused.

"Poison. It's one of Hook's own making. There's no antidote in this world" her father replied, weakly.

"It'll be fine. I have some herbs with me that should be able to help. We'll get you back to Storybrooke and then you can use magic to heal yourself completely" said Aria.

Aria searched through her bag. Emma walked over to her while Neal went into his bedroom to find a first-aid kit. She noticed Emma glance at Neal, biting her lip. Curiously, Aria asked if Emma's call this morning had to do with him. Emma admitted that she met Neal eleven years ago. They had been together at a time when she did criminal activities like stealing cars. He was Henry's father. She said that shortly before she found out about being pregnant, Neal abandoned her, letting her get arrested for a crime he committed. It caused Emma to be sent to jail, leading to her trust issues. Seeing Neal brought up mixed emotions. She was upset that he just left her since she loved him. At the same time, she felt angry that he never told her about being from the Enchanted Forest. Aria understood why Emma called her. When the curse broke, she went through similar emotions with Alec. Henry did not take the news well. Emma lied to him about his father being dead to protect him. He said she was no better than Regina, who always told him lies.

"That's not true, Emma. I understand why you lied. Henry just needs time. It's a lot to handle for both of you"

"Why are you here? Did you follow Hook?"

"I kind of…brought him. He threatened to kill Jane and Marissa so I had to drive him here"

Aria looked at the various herbs. There had to be some useful in treating the poison. She chucked any pointless items into the trash can. Emma watched her.

"Did something happen?"

Aria almost dropped a vial. For a second, she glanced at her father. Neal was disinfecting the wound. She sighed.

"He kissed me"

"He—what? When"

"Last night. I freaked out. I thought it was just some trick because he knew I was close to Mr. Gold. I called him out on it and he said…Emma, he said he cared about me. He promised not to hurt him"

Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her hair. "I shouldn't have fallen for it. I just…"

Emma rubbed her back, comfortingly. She calmed her down, telling her not to blame herself.

"I get it. Neal made promises to me all those years ago. No one's perfect, Aria. We all make mistakes. You won't be fooled again"

Aria made a herbal mixture in a bowl. She went over to her father. He was sweating profusely. She tipped the mixture into his mouth and dabbed his forehead with the towel.

"It'll heal him?" asked Neal.

"It should keep the poison from spreading. We're just lucky I found those herbs in Midas's kingdom when we were stuck in the Enchanted Forest. He needs to rest"

"We should get him back to Storybrooke"

"If we move him now, it'll make it worse. We can wait until tomorrow"

Neal put his hand on her shoulder, thanking her. Aria nodded. He put a blanket over him. She went into one of the other rooms...

* * *

**A/N: I wanted a realistic reaction to the kiss based on Aria's personality. Like Emma, she can be a bit guarded. Though she does admit to being attracted to Hook, the issue is about trust. He's her father's enemy. It's why she can't just accept that Hook genuinely likes her and instead, she comes up with all kinds of theories to explain the kiss. When he promises to not kill her father, she's surprised because Hook has been so consumed with revenge but he's basically saying that he cares more about her than the revenge. It makes her think that he does actually care because he is willing to let go of that hatred and he is choosing her. When she sees that he did hurt her father, just minutes after his promise, Aria is upset. She feels like Hook played with her emotions and it's difficult for her to handle because she repeatedly told her friends that Hook could never trick her. His betrayal is going to affect how Aria treats him now. Before, she had this teasing banter with him but now that he's seriously injured her father, she will start seeing him as just as bad as people like Cora and Regina.  
**


	22. Exploring Manhattan

She went into one of the other rooms. It looked like a small office and was filled with stacked boxes. She saw Hook tied to the radiator. He woke up and tugged at the ropes around his hands. When he noticed her, he looked a bit anxious. She locked the door.

"Aria. I know you're angry. Let me explain"

Aria bent down in front of him. From her jeans pocket, she took out a knife. She twirled it between her fingers.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling. You might have the emotional range of a teaspoon but I'm a bit more complex. I am angry. I also feel very stupid. I fell for your lies. I actually believed you for a second"

"I wasn't lying about what I said to you"

"It would've been better if you just knocked me out so you could go kill him. I would've been fine with that. It's being true to the snake you are…but you had to manipulate me and make me think you might not be that terrible then stomp all over that. Is this your little game?"

"No"

"Cause we are about to start playing an entirely different one"

Aria stabbed him in the chest. He cried out in pain. She twisted the knife. Blood poured out of his wound. He began to breathe unsteadily.

"Is this how you're going to avenge him? You're going to kill me?"

"No. I'm going to torture you instead. He's sleeping and there's baby daddy drama going on in the other room. We get to play all day. You thought getting hit by a car was bad? You haven't begun to experience real pain. I am going to make you beg for death. I am going to tear you limb from limb, nerve by nerve…then I'm going to use magic to fix you up in Storybrooke and keep doing it again and again"

"Aria, look at me. I meant what I said in the car. I wasn't going to kill him but I saw him there and—I've wanted revenge for a long time. I can't merely stop thinking about it"

"That's your excuse? I don't get you! You take one step towards being a decent person and then you do something that takes you a hundred steps back! You think you're nothing like Cora but you are exactly alike"

She stood up. "You know what? I'm just going to leave you here. I can't even look at you. You are not worth the energy I waste talking to you. If you come near him again, you are going to be very sorry. I will make Cora look like a harmless kitten"

Aria returned to the living room. Neal had gone outside to take a phone call. Her father looked a bit drowsy. Aria sat next to him on the couch.

"You should sleep. You'll feel better if you do"

"I'll be fine. Those herbs are starting to work"

Henry hurried over to her and Emma. He showed them a text on Aria's phone from Snow. Cora and Regina were close to finding the dagger's actual location. They had realized the map in the library had been a fake trail. Emma told her father about their search.

"We need David and Mary Margaret to find it first"

"Let Cora try. Miss Swan, that dagger has not left my possession for centuries. It's not about to now"

She sighed. "Look, you're really sick right now. You need to trust someone…so you might as well start with family. They'll keep it out of Cora's hands"

He gave a slight nod towards Aria. She told them it was hidden in the minute hand of the clock tower. Emma looked surprised that she knew the location. Henry sent a text back to Snow. Aria and her father shared a quick, furtive glance. She decided to make another herbal mixture. Neal returned to the apartment. He and Emma discussed how to get to Storybrooke. All of them could not fit in Aria's car. A friend of his offered to let him borrow their car for the trip. Emma told him about the dagger situation. Like Aria, he knew it was a serious problem. As they talked, Henry walked over to her. He asked about what she was making.

"It'll help him sleep"

"He's mad at me"

Aria tousled his hair. "Henry, he isn't. He's just very anxious from the poison. I promise he's not mad at you. I don't want you to be mad at Emma either"

"She lied about my dad"

"It's part of being a parent. Trust me, I know what it's like. She isn't like Regina. Emma lied to you for your own protection. She's dealing with a lot herself so give her a break…for me?"

Henry nodded. He hugged her around the waist.

"I'm glad you're here, Aria. You're like an older sister"

"I'll always be there for you no matter what"

Aria gave the herbal mixture to her father. Within a few minutes, he fell asleep. Neal suggested that they leave the apartment to let him rest. He could show them around the city.

"We should take Hook too"

"Why? Let him rot" said Aria.

"I don't trust him alone with my father. He'll get out of those ropes soon enough. It's better if he's with us"

"Well you two are buddies" said Emma.

Neal went into the room where Hook was being held. Aria questioned Emma about what she said. Apparently, Neal knew Hook. When he left the Enchanted Forest, this world was not his first destination. She assumed that he got sent to Neverland. Neal was being far too nice to Hook. The pirate deserved the worst pain imaginable. After a few minutes, they both entered the living room. His hook was replaced by the prosthetic hand again. Neal mentioned that Hook had a stab wound that he had to bandage. Emma looked over at Aria. Avoiding eye contact, Aria grabbed Henry's hand and took him out of the apartment. She meant what she said about no longer talking to Hook. As far as she was concerned, he did not exist. She could hear Neal and him talking as Henry pointed out things to do in the city. Emma did not look pleased with this little friendship either. Aria wondered if Neal knew that Hook was the man who took his mother away when he was a child. He seemed to forget that Hook almost killed their father less than an hour ago.

"Can we just ditch them?" she whispered to Emma.

"If Henry wasn't there, we would have done that by now. First he's Gold's son…now he knows pirates. I don't think they're best friends but it's still weird"

They went into Central Park. Henry brought Aria over to a cart selling hot dogs. He said that she had to try one while in Manhattan. Emma and Neal waited off to the side, having a conversation, when a woman walked over to them. She was dark-skinned and very pretty. When the woman hugged Neal, it appeared to be more than a hug between friends. The woman introduced herself to Emma, smiling. Emma looked like she was struggling not to break down or scream. This must be extremely difficult for her. When Neal abandoned her, she had a hard time opening up to anyone. He seemed to move on with no problem if he was dating.

"Who's that? Do you think she's friends with my dad?"

Aria struggled to find the right words. "Yea. She looks like a friend. So tell me about these h"

Something hit the back of her leg. She knew it was Hook. He kept tapping her leg with his foot. Aria attempted to ignore him by talking to Henry. After a rather hard kick, she turned around, glaring harshly. He feigned an innocent expression.

"Is something the matter, love?"

Henry tugged on her sleeve. He was holding multiple hot dogs.

"Great. We can eat them by the lake. You got an extra one though. There's only two of us here"

She chucked one of the hot dogs into a nearby trash can. They sat on a bench near the lake. There were ducks waddling around on the grass. Ripping a piece of bread, she fed it to a baby duck. She glanced around the park. It was like a little adventure. She smiled, excited by this city and all of the wonders it held…

~Killian~

Killian watched Aria sitting by the lake with the Swan girl's son. She was feeding pieces of bread to ducks. Hearing her laugh made his heart sink. Aria wanted nothing to do with him. When they spoke in the apartment, there was only pure hatred in her eyes. It reminded him of how he looked at Rumplestiltskin right after he drove his hook into his chest. She looked at him like total scum. Her hatred was so great that she would not even speak to him anymore or acknowledge him. Underneath all of that, he knew she had been hurt. He ruined everything in an instant. She trusted him when he made that promise but his desire for revenge was too great. It frustrated him that she had this close relationship to Rumplestiltskin. If they barely knew each other, Killian's revenge would not matter to her. She was wrong when she accused him of manipulating her. He had been honest about his feelings. As he watched her, he felt someone push him. It was Emma. He snarled.

"I wouldn't try that again, love. I still remember what you did to me on that beanstalk"

She glared. "You better stop. I don't know if you were toying with Aria or you meant whatever you said to her but you're not doing it anymore. I think you should remember that she has a ton of people in Storybrooke who care about her and are willing to defend her, including me"

"It's none of your business"

"I'm making it my business. Aria's my friend and you hurt her. Why force her to bring you here? You could've taken your ship and used a map. You could've gotten someone like David to tell you where Gold went"

Killian was caught off guard by her question. "I don't need to tell you anything, Swan"

Their tense conversation got interrupted by Baelfire. In this land, he went by Neal. Killian found him in Neverland, shortly after Milah's death. He had been a few years older than the first time Killian saw him. Baelfire was part of the Lost Boys. Since he had been Milah's son, Killian treated him differently. He ensured that he did not come to any harm from the dangers in Neverland. Baelfire even joined his crew for a short time. Killian taught him how to sword fight and other pirate things. It was Baelfire who told him about the Dark One's dagger. The dagger got mentioned during a late night conversation on the ship. From the boy's limited knowledge, Killian was able to start planning his search for it. Baelfire had many similar qualities to his mother. It was strange to see him much older now. Though they had not been anywhere near friends, they had respect for each other.

"Emma, are you okay?"

"I'm fine"

She threw Killian another small glare and walked over to the lake…

~Aria~

Aria was playing with the baby duck. Henry asked what happened to her hand. She glanced down at her mark. To her surprise, the number had not changed. The number nine was still showing in the middle, just like last night. She thought it might have to do with the absence of magic in this world. Without magic, the curse stalled. She was relieved that it gave her more time.

"It's a game from back home. Someone's the leader and picks a random number. You write it in the middle of your hand and every day, you count down. Once you reach zero, the leader decides what the rest of the people playing will have to do" she said, making up a story.

"Can I play too?"

"Sure"

Aria drew a similar symbol on his hand. As she wrote the number, Emma sat beside her. She looked a bit preoccupied. Aria handed the duck to Henry, telling him to get it back into the water. While he went over to the lake, she talked to Emma. The woman who hugged Neal turned out to be his fiancee, Tamara. Emma opened up about the circumstances of Neal abandoning her. All those years ago, August told Neal to leave Emma so she could fulfill her role as savior in breaking the curse. During a conversation between them yesterday, Neal admitted to her that if he knew she was from the Enchanted Forest, he would never have gotten involved with her. Aria felt a slight resentment towards her half-brother. He just seemed very selfish. If she had been in that position, she would not abandon anyone, whether family, friend, or boyfriend. It made no sense why Neal could not have stayed with Emma and helped her get to Storybrooke. She knew this betrayal was worse for Emma who had been alone for most of her life.

"Well if you want, I can pour soda on her head and put gum in her hair…or we can spread a rumor. We can say that she has a weird obsession with cats"

Emma smiled. "I don't think that will help"

"It would be funny. Are you okay with him being…with her?"

"It's not like my opinion matters. It's been 11 years, Aria"

"You can still be angry about it. We just attract the wrong guys, Emma. We need guys who aren't jerks"

"I don't think that's possible"

Henry returned to the bench. He pointed out some kind of magic show. Aria knew it was not actual magic. In this world, people did little tricks where they made rabbits come out of hats and merged giant rings together. Near the lake, she saw a guy around her age surrounded by a group of kids. He had disheveled ebony hair and steel blue eyes. Aria got this strange feeling from just looking at him. She could not explain it. Henry brought her over to the show. The magician was impressive. For some of his tricks, she found herself wondering how he did it. He asked Henry to be a little assistant. While Henry held a pan, the magician made a dove appear. The kids looked stunned. Emma sighed.

"After being in Storybrooke, this doesn't amaze me like it used to"

Aria giggled. Henry walked back over to them with the magician.

"Thanks for your help, Henry. You were a great assistant"

"You were awesome"

He held out his hand. "I'm Max"

When their hands touched, Aria felt this spark run through her body. She saw flashes of her life in the Enchanted Forest, including memories of her mother. He made a rose appear from under his sleeve and gave it to her. Aria smiled.

"I hope you enjoyed the show, Aria" he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened slightly. She never mentioned her name. Curiously, she watched him leave…


	23. Familiar Faces

Curiously, she watched him leave. She looked down at the rose. There was a note attached to its stem. It told her to go to a club called _The Underground _at 10 tonight. She knew that Max had to be from the Enchanted Forest. Those memory flashes were not a coincidence. She tried to think of where she could know Max. Emma snapped her out of her thoughts. Aria looked at her.

"He was definitely flirting with you"

"He wants me to go to a club tonight and meet him there. We should go"

"Whoa, we?"

"Emma, it wouldn't kill you to party. I need someone to go with me and it's not going to be a pirate or your baby daddy. Unless you want to risk that Max is a psychotic killer and my body is found in some dark alley tomorrow morning"

Emma groaned. "Fine. I'll go with you"

They decided not to tell anyone about their late night plans. After exploring the city for a few more hours, they returned to Neal's apartment. Hook held the door open for her. She remarked with amazement to Henry that a ghost was in the building. As she passed Hook, he followed close behind her on the staircase. She was mere seconds from making him unable to father children. He grabbed her arm, preventing her from entering the apartment.

"Let go of me"

"Not until you stop acting like a stubborn child and we can talk"

"I have nothing to say to you"

"Aria, we are not leaving this spot"

"We are after I shove my foot up your"

A bowl narrowly missed his head, hitting the wall. It smashed into pieces. She could see bits of herbs scattered on the wooden floor. Her father was attempting to stand up. Neal stopped him, telling him it would make the poison worse. He looked furious with Hook.

"Get your filthy hands off my daughter, you mangy cur!"

Her eyes widened slightly. His anger was so great that he did not realize what he said. Hook's grip loosened on her arm. Emma and Henry looked shocked. Neal was staring at her, his mouth hanging open. Aria had no idea how to handle this situation. Unable to think, she hurried down the stairs and left the apartment building. She went into an alley and leaned her head against the wall. A hand rested on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Neal. They stared at each other, neither saying a word.

"You're…how is that possible?"

"You don't know how babies are made?"

"But he—I don't…who was your mother?"

"She's just a handmaiden" she lied.

"My—Our dad falling for a handmaiden when he was the Dark One? I doubt it"

"Well it's true. It didn't last long. They broke up a few months after I was born"

Neal hugged her. Aria tensed up. She was not expecting this kind of reaction. It took her by surprise. He chuckled.

"I can't believe I…you're my sister"

"You're taking this really well"

"I didn't have any family for the longest time. I lost my mom when I was barely five. I was left alone in this world to fend for myself. I know _he_'s here but I'm not willing to accept him back just yet. It'll take time. Now I have you…a sister. If I had heard about you before, I would've found a way back and gotten you away from him. I'll make that up to you"

Aria was silent. Neal assumed that she had been mistreated by their father. He was thinking that their father had not changed since the time he let Neal go through the portal alone. Aria knew differently. Her father never hurt her, even as the Dark One. He always showed a softer side around her. She was sure that it was because he did not want to lose her like he lost his son. Neal put his arm around her as they re-entered the apartment building. He said they needed to catch up and get to know each other better. Her father was asleep again. Emma had forced him to take Aria's herbal mixture to calm him down. Neal asked about Hook. Apparently, he had just gone off somewhere. Neal left to go find him. Aria sat down on the couch.

"Are you really Mr. Gold's daughter, Aria?" asked Henry.

She nodded. "You shouldn't have found out like that"

"Did you live with him in the Enchanted Forest?"

"No. It wouldn't have been safe since he's the Dark One"

It was about an hour before she had to go meet Max. She told Emma that they should get ready for the club. Emma wanted to just wear her current outfit. Aria rolled her eyes. She went into Neal's bedroom. Searching her bag, she found a dark blue mini dress, with cut outs along the sides, that stopped at her upper thighs. It cut low in the front, accentuating her figure. She swiped on some lip gloss and tousled her hair lightly. The door opened. Instead of Emma, it was Neal. He looked over her outfit.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Some place called _The Underground_"

"No you're not. Get out of that dress and put on sweat pants and a t-shirt"

She giggled. "That's funny"

Aria left his bedroom. Emma and Hook were glaring at each other. They still had tension between them from their journey up the beanstalk. His glare wavered, seeing Aria. Neal moved in front of her. He said that she was not going to any club in the city. Aria crossed her arms over her chest. He had no right to boss her around.

"My little sister is not going there. _The Underground_ is shady"

"First of all, I was your little sister when I was like 5. Second, you can't tell me what to do. Let's wait 21 years and then you can start"

Aria took Emma out of the apartment. Neal shouted both of their names. Emma glanced back at the door. She looked reluctant to leave. Aria dragged her out of the apartment building. She used her phone to find the club. It was only ten minutes away. As they reached the club, she saw a long line waiting. It would take forever to get inside. A group of guys in front of them let them cut ahead. Guys kept allowing them to go in front of them in the line. Within a few minutes, they were near the door.

"Guys are so nice here"

"It's because you're pretty, Aria"

"So are you. Stop acting like you're some gross troll"

The bouncer checked their IDs. His eyes flickered over Aria's chest. She smiled sweetly. He offered to buy her a drink inside. Emma took her into the club. It looked amazing. Aria had been at the _Rabbit Hole_ numerous times. Clubs in Manhattan were very different, being much larger and expensive-looking. They sat at a small booth. Aria checked her phone. Max would be there soon. Emma asked her about him.

"I think he's from…back home"

"Wait, the Enchanted Forest? But how would he be here?"

"I don't know. When he touched my hand, these memories came back to me. He knew my name too"

Their conversation got interrupted by a waitress. She put apple martinis on their table.

"We didn't order"

"I know. They did" she said, pointing over to a group of guys at the bar.

The guys smiled. Aria thought this must be how guys flirted in a club. She waved at them and sipped the martini. Many more drinks got sent over to their table from guys and even a few girls. Emma was hesitant to accept the drinks. She did not want them to take it as a sign that she would hook up with them.

"Emma, they're hot. Why wouldn't we? That one guy's been staring at you for like ten minutes"

"Max isn't here yet?" she asked, changing the subject.

"No. Maybe I was wrong about—kill me"

Neal and Hook had just entered the club. Did they leave Henry alone in the apartment? Aria needed to talk to Max. She wished that there was magic outside Storybrooke. This would be the perfect time to do a cloaking spell. They found Aria and Emma so quickly that it was like they had a tracker. Neal looked at the table filled with drinks. He started to lecture her, sounding like Annabeth. She pretended to listen. As he went on about her being too young for a club like this, she saw Max at the bar. He nodded his head towards the back area. She followed after him. He brought her into a private room, locking the door.

"I'm glad you made it, Aria"

"You're from there, aren't you?"

"Yes. I go by Max here…but my name is Merlin"

Aria looked at him, surprised. She never met Merlin in person, only heard stories about him. He had been close friends with her mother. Merlin was the one to suggest that she hide in the village. They would communicate with each other through letters. He warned her when her uncle's knights were near the village. Her father told her that Merlin had been killed, along with the rest of the kingdom, by a rival kingdom's knights. Merlin explained that after her mother's death, her father appeared at the castle. He had been furious about what happened and sent the entire kingdom through a portal. It was a weakened version of the Dark Curse. The portal had been set up to send them to some barren land. At the last second, Merlin used his magic to redirect the portal, bringing them to this world. While most of them landed in Manhattan, some were sent to other cities. It took time for them to adjust to this strange new world. Merlin worked as a magician so he still had a connection to magic. She did not understand why her father would try to get rid of them. Merlin cupped her cheek.

"When I saw you in the park, I thought you were your mother. I thought she somehow tricked your uncle into thinking she was dead. You look exactly like her when she was your age. Then I got closer and noticed the warmth in your eyes. I knew you must be Aria. Why are you in this world?"

"My father got the Dark Curse to work. Regina, an evil queen, enacted it and we were all brought here to a town called Storybrooke. We didn't have our memories for 28 years"

"28 years? We've only been here for two years"

"The portal must've gone through time. My father came here to find my half-brother"

"R—Rumplestiltskin is here?"

"He's asleep in my brother's apartment. We're going back tomorrow because one of his enemies poisoned him"

There was a knock at the door. Merlin opened it. A girl in her late 20s entered the room. She had similar eyes to Aria and golden blonde hair. Seeing Aria, she smiled. She embraced her.

"Aria. You're all grown up"

"Aunt Elaine?"

"Yes, sweetheart. The last time I saw you, you were such a tiny thing. I know my sister would want to see you. She would be so proud"

Her eyes flickered to the mark on Aria's hand. "You've gotten the curse. It's just like Morgan's"

Elaine was her aunt. When her mother hid in the village, Aria met her a few times. She would bring her mother information about her uncle's plans. Elaine, another sister Morgause, and Aria's mother Morgan were his half-sisters, all born from the same mother. Only Elaine could not do magic. She was the one to first teach Aria about the healing properties of herbs. Elaine never liked Aria's father. She thought that he had corrupted her mother, making her turn dark. Aria asked if her mother had gone through the same curse. Elaine nodded.

"Around the same time as you. Morgause did as well…"

"So you know what this choice is, right? What is it?"

"It's about your magic. You must choose light or dark" explained Merlin.

Aria knew that both her aunt Morgause and her mother chose dark magic. It was what attracted her father. Her mother had been very skilled in magic, always attempting to push its limits. Merlin told her that the choice required a sacrifice. If she chose light magic, someone considered dark would be killed and the opposite would happen if she chose dark magic. When her mother made her choice, it led to the death of her uncle Arthur's father, the current king at the time. This event led to the resentment between the two siblings and her uncle ordering for her mother's death. Once Aria chose her side, her magic would reach its full potential.

"But how does it choose?"

"It's a random decision. There's no way to direct it to a specific person. You have nine days left"

"Being here stalled it a bit"

"I want to go with you to this…Storybrooke. I can help you with the curse. Elaine will stay here to keep your uncle from learning about you. It would be dangerous"

She smiled. "That would be awesome"

"I will meet you in a few days. Be careful"

Elaine took a bracelet from her purse. It had an etching of a dragon in all of the gems. She put it on Aria's wrist. The bracelet belonged to her mother. Elaine said it would keep her safe through any danger. Aria never imagined that she would see anyone from her mother's family again. Merlin left the room with her. Before she could return to the booth, he pulled her aside.

"Aria, I need to tell you something else. I know you're attracted to that pirate"

"What? A pirate? There's no"

"I know how to spot one even in regular clothing. Save yourself the heartache"

"I don't have feelings for him. He just used me to hurt my father. I know"

"You're not capable of it"

She looked at him, confused. He told her that she was incapable of finding love. Aria had been a product of deception and manipulation. It meant that she could not ever be in true love. All of the happiness she felt just minutes ago had been crushed. Merlin looked sympathetic. He said that it was best to not get her hopes up with any man. Quietly, she went back to the booth. Neal interrogated her like a police officer. She grabbed her purse and left the club. Emma questioned her about Merlin. Aria simply nodded when she asked if he came from the Enchanted Forest. They returned to the apartment building. Henry was asleep on the couch. Hook put his arm across the doorway, blocking her path. He shut the door, keeping them in the hallway.

"It doesn't change anything. Your father being…it doesn't change my feelings for you. I know you feel something too, Aria"

Tears filled her eyes, thinking about what Merlin said. Was it true that she could never be in love with someone? She never heard of something like that. Her parents might not have been in true love but there was some kind of love between them. She stared at the floor.

"It doesn't matter what I feel. Just…"

Struggling to speak, she went into the apartment. She walked into Neal's bedroom. He looked at her, concerned. She sniffled.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Can you just…be a big brother right now?"

He hugged her, rubbing her back. She broke down, crying into his shoulder. Aria spent the night in his room while he comforted her…

* * *

**A/N: So in the previous chapters, I put in little hints about Aria's mother. Her Storybrooke name, Faye, was a reference to her mother's name in the Arthurian legend: Morgan Le Fay. Also, Aria had a close relationship to Lancelot, who was part of King Arthur's round table. The number of days for the curse, 17, is also a reference to Celtic mythology, which includes the legend of King Arthur. 17 is considered a mystical number. The curse is going to have a big impact on Aria. Now that she knows it requires a sacrifice, she is going to be worried that it could kill someone close to her. Merlin's words about love are also going to affect her. She has admitted to an attraction to Hook, though it is nowhere near love yet. However, Merlin basically told her that love is not possible for her. Unlike Emma, who is a product of true love, Aria is the opposite. From what Merlin believes, her parents had a relationship of deceit. This affects Aria because everyone wants to find love and Merlin is telling her that she is not capable of true love. At the same time, there is no evidence that Merlin is being truthful. His words are going to make Aria struggle with her feelings for Hook. When it comes to Aria and Neal, I made their relationship like typical siblings where the older brother would be protective of his sister.  
**


	24. Fighting Cora

-The next day- Aria was in Neal's bedroom, getting dressed. She picked up her heart charm from his dresser. Henry gave it to her this morning. He told her that he found it on the sidewalk when going to her father's car with Emma in Storybrooke. She opened the charm, staring at it. All of the fairy dust was gone. Glancing in the mirror, she noticed that her eyes looked slightly vacant. The bedroom door opened. She quickly shut the charm and hooked it onto a spare chain. Emma entered the room. She looked worried about her. Sitting on the bed, she asked what had upset Aria last night.

"Was it something that Max said? You were so eager to know why he seemed familiar"

"He was friends with my mom. It doesn't matter what he said. I'm perfectly fine now"

"So who is he?"

"Merlin"

Her eyes widened. "Mer—as in King Arthur? That Merlin?"

Aria nodded. She told Emma that he had been close friends with her mother back in the Enchanted Forest. Emma shook her head, claiming that she would never get used to this fairy tale world. Neal entered the room. He was running his fingers through his hair, anxiously. A few minutes ago, he had a conversation with Hook. It turned out that the poison was slow-acting. Aria's herbal mixtures could not stop it from spreading. They needed to hurry back to Storybrooke so that her father could use magic to heal the wound. Hook was going to stay in the apartment. Tamara would watch him and after a week, she would bring him back to Storybrooke. This would ensure that he did not go after her father again, especially in his weakened state. Emma hurried out of the room with Neal. They were packing their belongings up quickly, knowing they had a short amount of time before the poison got worse. Aria went in to the room where Hook was cooped up. Neal did not tie him up again. Hook was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"You're just going to leave me here? In this strange town?"

"It's for a week"

"Aria, take me back to Storybrooke. I promise"

"Your promises are worthless"

She put the chain with the heart charm down on the desk. He picked it up, puzzled.

"Is this supposed to make me feel better? Some trinket?"

"You said you want my heart. You got it"

"Hilarious. There's no antidote to that poison. You think I would risk that he could simply use magic to heal himself?"

"I knew there was no antidote the entire time. Those mixtures I made just numbed the pain. I thought that maybe he could be healed but…my emotions clouded my thinking. That won't ever happen again"

Aria returned to the living room. Neal was helping her father stand up from the couch. Her father winced in pain. Aria grabbed her bag and left the apartment building. She heard someone yell in the nearby alley. It sounded like Henry. He was being pinned against the wall by a guy in his late 20s with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. Aria recognized him. Henry struggled against his grip. The guy was looking at the drawn symbol on his hand.

"I know you're Morgan's child. She thought she could keep you away from me but I found you"

"M—my mom's name is Emma"

"Lies. You have the mark"

Sneaking up behind him, she shoved him roughly. He fell to the ground. Henry was shaking. She told him to stay with Emma and Neal. As Henry ran out of the alley, the guy stood up, rubbing his head. Seeing her, he snarled.

"Morgan"

"No. Uncle Arthur, it's me. I'm her daughter…Aria"

"Her child would be young"

"It's been longer than you think. Look"

She showed the symbol from the curse. "I know you hated my mother but you killed her. Isn't that enough?"

"Hardly. I can't risk that you'll be just like her. You're destined for darkness with your parentage"

Arthur was about to hit her. She struck him in the face with her bag. His head slammed into the brick wall, knocking him unconscious. She went over to her car. Her father was sitting in the back while Emma was in the passenger seat. Neal took her father's car with Henry. They drove back to Storybrooke. Aria went as fast as she could, not caring much about cops stopping her. If one pulled her over, she would use her looks to get out of trouble. Emma called Snow along the way. As they neared Storybrooke, the poison began to take effect. Her father had trouble breathing for a few minutes. Emma put down the phone. She told Aria that Cora and Regina had taken the dagger from Snow after threatening a handmaiden from her old kingdom. Aria kept driving, seeing the Storybrooke sign.

"You are oddly calm about this" said Emma.

"The sooner we get him back, the better. Where are they meeting us?"

"His shop. We can keep him safe there"

She stopped the car in front of the antiques shop. Snow, David, Ruby, Devon, Jane, and Marissa were waiting. David helped her father out of the car. Devon hugged Aria tightly. As David questioned her father about the dagger, Jane asked about Hook.

"He's going to stay in Manhattan for a while"

Something seemed different about Snow. Aria went over to her. Snow said that Cora needed to be killed. It surprised her since Snow had even stopped Regina's execution back in the Enchanted Forest, thinking she deserved a second chance. Snow explained that Cora was behind her mother's death when she was a little girl by masquerading as the Blue Fairy and when she gave the dagger to her, Cora still killed Johanna, the handmaiden. She could not stand Cora and Regina winning in this battle. Aria understood her anger. She felt the same towards her uncle after her mother's death. David was not happy about her adamant decision to kill Cora.

"I know what happened to Queen Eva and I have no problem with Cora dying…but it can't be by your hand and not out of vengeance"

"Why?"

"Because you wouldn't be able to live with yourself. You have the purest heart of anyone I know. That's who you are and who you will stay"

Snow did not say anything. Emma asked Ruby, Jane, and Marissa to watch over Henry. They took him to the diner. Neal and David brought her father into the shop. Devon held onto Aria's arm. He looked into her eyes.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing"

"Your eyes…they look empty"

"I'm worried about my father, Devon. He's dying"

"How could you not tell me about him? You always said you never knew your father"

"He made me keep it a secret. This isn't the time to talk about it"

They entered the shop. Her father was laying on a couch in the back room. She put a blanket over him. His hand rested over hers as he coughed into a handkerchief.

"Aria, I will make it out of this alive"

"I know, Dad. We're just lucky that Cora hasn't figured out it's a fake dagger"

"Let me see it"

She unhooked the dagger charm from her necklace. It expanded in size. The blade had writing in jagged black letters. Usually, it showed his name. Half of the letters had vanished. It meant that her father was dying. If he died before someone became the new Dark One, the magic would just vanish into the air. A fake dagger was hidden in the clock tower. Though it contained magical properties, it could not control him. Her father entrusted the actual dagger to her mother. On the night of her death, she told Aria all about the dagger and made her promise to keep it safe. Aria never let the charm out of her sight. He looked at the dagger.

"You'll need to keep it hidden. They will know of our true relationship soon, Aria. When they figure out that it's a fake, they'll go to you first"

"They're not going to kill you. You need to let me use magic"

"Aria"

"Dad, you have to stop treating me like a child"

Her father sighed. "I know you're not a child anymore. Promise me that you'll be careful"

She kissed his cheek and left from the back room. Emma was using invisible chalk on the door to keep Cora and Regina out of the shop. Neal watched her, leaning against the counter. He asked Emma about her being able to do magic. She argued that he had no reason to judge her with his surprise about being from the Enchanted Forest. Randomly, he brought up Tamara, saying that she was not meant to be a surprise. Aria rolled her eyes at him. He was not very subtle. Emma did not seem fazed by him mentioning his fiancee. Aria walked out of the side door. She went over to an apartment building and knocked on a door on the 2nd floor. The door opened, revealing Alec.

"Is it safe for you to be here alone, Aria?"

"You won't hurt me"

"What do you want? I'm busy"

"Meeting Regina?"

He chuckled. "I knew that was why you came. You want the dagger to save Rumplestiltskin…or wait, do you call him Daddy? I got to say, I did not see that one coming. How did your dowdy mother pull that one off?"

Aria pushed her hand forward. Alec was tied up to a chair. He mumbled against the rope around his mouth. She brushed his cheek. Going over to a mirror, she saw Alec staring back at her. There was a knock on the door.

"I guess that's for you. You're a bit tied up so I'll go in your place, Alec" she said, sounding just like him.

He tried to undo the ropes. She left the apartment. A few of Regina's guards were waiting.

"Regina wants us to meet her. The plan's starting"

Aria nodded, taking a sword. She followed them to the antiques shop. Regina and Cora waited outside. Cora was holding the fake dagger.

"This is going to work, darling. We'll have everything we want"

Regina looked at Aria. "When I go to snap that little brat's neck, you better not stop me, Alec"

"Of course not, Regina. I'm loyal to you and only you"

Combining their magic, they broke through the protection spell. The door burst open. They stepped into the shop. Emma, Neal, Devon, and David all had swords. Regina threw a ball of fire at Emma. David jumped in the way, blocking it with his sword. They started fighting. Devon went right for Aria. Believing her to be Alec, he was very aggressive. Aria got his arms behind his back. One of the other guards pointed his sword at Devon's neck. Another guard started to attack David. Cora stopped him with magic.

"Devon, play along" whispered Aria, poking his side.

"Aria?" he mouthed.

Aria nodded with her eyes. "Move aside or you'll have blood on your hands" said Cora.

They stayed in the same spot, not willing to let them get to her father. Regina looked at Aria.

"Kill him"

Aria raised her sword. At the last second, she plunged it in the guard's stomach. He crumpled to the floor.

"Alec, what are you doing?!"

"You weren't very specific"

The door opened. Alec entered the shop, panting. Everyone looked between Aria and him. She never expected him to get out of the ropes that quickly.

"Alec?" said Regina, confused.

"That's Aria" he said, pointing towards Aria and Devon.

Aria changed back to her usual self. "You…can use magic?" hissed Regina.

"You learn something new every day" said Aria.

Cora kept Regina from hurting Aria. She told her that they could use the dagger to make Aria's father kill her for them. When she tried to summon him, nothing happened. She looked at the dagger.

"This isn't the true dagger. Where is it?"

With them distracted, the fight started up again. Aria and Devon fought with Regina's guards. Alec almost sliced off Devon's arm. Devon knocked his sword aside and made Alec fall to his knees. He pointed his sword between Alec's eyes.

"You can't do it. Don't kid yourself"

"You're right, Alec. Death would be too good for you"

As the other guards came at them, Aria waved her hand. They all, including Alec, fell unconscious. Devon was thrown out of the shop. Aria levitated off of the floor. Cora was in front of her.

"I'm sure your father entrusted its location to you. Tell me where it is, Aria"

She gripped her chin. The spell made it difficult for Aria to breathe.

"I see it now. You're Morgan's little girl. Your mother and I were quite close, you know"

Aria glared. "She told me a little secret. How Rumplestiltskin entrusted the dagger to her and she kept it in a place where it was always with her"

Cora ripped off the dagger charm. "No!"

The dagger appeared in her hand. Neal was about to strike her. She vanished. The spell lifted, allowing Aria to move. The dagger was on the floor. Neal kept Aria behind him, protectively. Emma had an arm around Regina, pointing a knife at her throat.

"What's it going to be? Choose wisely"

"Mother!" said Regina.

Cora summoned the dagger to her. Emma pushed Regina, knocking both her and Cora over the counter. Aria hurried them into the back room and put up a protection spell. She noticed Cora clutch her chest and mention someone holding her heart. Regina left the shop. Neal turned to Aria.

"Now you can do magic? What else are you hiding?"

"Bae, I made her keep it a secret. She's very powerful for her age. Someone like Regina would take advantage of that" said her father.

Aria sat beside him on the couch. "Cora has the dagger. My spell won't hold for long"

"Maybe it's for the best. I'm dying. I need to talk to Belle"

Taking out her phone, she called the hospital. She got one of the nurses to hand the phone to Belle. Her father spoke to her. He told her all these beautiful things, such as her being a hero and how she made him want to be the best version of himself. His voice cracked a bit towards the end of the call. Neal and Emma were tearing up. Aria simply looked at her father.

"Aria, you need to help Snow"

"With what?"

"Go…before Cora breaks through the spell"

She used a spell to find Snow and vanished from the shop. A second later, she landed in the cemetery. Snow was coming out of the mausoleum. Aria ran over to her.

"Snow?"

She looked very distressed. Silently, she hugged Aria.

"Aria, I…I did something terrible"

A black and white candle was sticking out of her pocket. Snow explained how Aria's father asked her to use the candle to save him. She had to drip the candle wax over Cora's heart, which had been in Regina's vault, and whisper her name. Once she put the heart back into Cora, he would live while Cora died. Snow could not commit murder herself so she tricked Regina into doing it. They sat on the stone steps together.

"Snow, not everyone deserves a second chance. Cora will kill us all if she becomes the Dark One. She needs to die…to pay for everything she's done"

"But Regina"

"Her mother is manipulating her. Everyone can see it but Regina"

David hurried over to them. He looked at the tears in Snow's eyes.

"What did you do?"

"You were right, David. This isn't me. We need to stop Regina"

Aria followed Snow and David back to the antiques shop…

~Killian~

Killian was sitting on the floor, staring at the wall. He should have expected that they would leave him in the city for a while. They treated him like some punished child. Baelfire was having his little girlfriend watch over him. After a week passed, Tamara would take him to Storybrooke. Killian knew that he could not get back by himself. He was not accustomed to this world. Though he should have felt a sense of accomplishment for finally obtaining his revenge, all he thought about was how he killed Aria's father and how heartbroken she must be feeling.

When they last spoke, she did not seem like herself. Her eyes usually held this sparkle. This morning, they looked lifeless and dead. There was something off about her. He assumed that she just wanted to appear strong in the face of her father's impending death. Killian picked up the heart charm she gave to him.

"Yes, I have your heart. You think you're being witty"

He noticed fairy dust along the edges. Unfortunately, it was not enough to be useful. A reddish glow formed around the charm. He wondered if she hid more dust inside. Curiously, he opened the charm. His eyes widened.

"No" he whispered, his hand shaking.

He opened the door and looked for Tamara so he could threaten her to take him back to Storybrooke immediately…


	25. Heartless

-Three days later- Cora's death put the entire town into a panic. No one wanted to leave their homes. Parents even kept their kids from going to school. Everyone feared Regina's retaliation. She had not been seen since the fight in the antiques shop. When Aria, Snow, and David returned to the shop, hoping to stop her, the damage had already been done. Cora was dead in Regina's arms while Aria's father was completely healed of the poison. To say that Regina hated Snow would be an understatement. Snow had been hiding in her apartment, distraught from her actions. She simply laid in her bed, staring blankly at nothing.

Aria was sitting in the kitchen, reading her mother's book. To hide it from Annabeth, she disguised it as a random novel. She looked at all of the different spells. As she read about a spell to control a person's thoughts, she turned on the stove to cook breakfast. She turned the page, feeling a warm sensation on her hand. Annabeth entered the kitchen. She moved Aria's hand. There were deep burn marks.

"Aria, you could've hurt yourself badly. Put down that book and pay attention" she said, concerned.

Aria glanced at her hand. The burns healed instantly.

"All better. Stop freaking out"

She sat at the table, continuing to read. Annabeth sat next to her. She pushed the book down.

"I was reading"

"What's the matter with you, Aria? Ever since you returned from your little trip, you're not yourself"

"I'm fine"

"Did something happen?"

"I met Merlin"

Annabeth looked at her, surprised. In a bored tone, she told Annabeth about what her father had done to her uncle's kingdom and its inhabitants. She did not seem pleased that Aria never confronted her father about it. Aria was sure that her father had good intentions. Considering that Arthur wanted to kill her, he sent them away for her protection.

"He's going to be staying here"

"He's coming to Storybrooke?"

"He offered. He wants to help me with the curse. Besides, he's like family, isn't he?"

"Yes, he and your mother were friends. He gave you that necklace when you were born…it just had that little rose charm"

"That's nice"

"Are you sure you're all right, dear?"

"For the five hundredth time, I am fine. Stop asking me that. It's not like you're my actual mother"

Annabeth looked taken aback. She stood up from the table and grabbed her purse. Aria merely nodded as she said that she would be home from work around dinnertime. She kept reading the spellbook. Once Annabeth left the house, she decided to try some spells. She held out her hand. A ball of fire formed. She got distracted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Closing the book, she left the kitchen. She opened the front door. Merlin was standing outside, a bag over his shoulder. He had found her house through a spell. She let him inside. He glanced around, interested. They went back to the kitchen. She used magic to make breakfast. An assortment of foods appeared on the table. He picked up a piece of toast. She sat down, watching him.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I'm not hungry. You go ahead"

"Something on your mind?"

"I thought about what you told me in Manhattan. You're right. It's worthless to feel attracted to anyone when I'm not capable of real love. So I fixed the situation…I ripped out my heart"

He was silent. She looked at him, curiously.

"You don't look very sympathetic"

"Of course I am. I'm not heartless…that was a poor choice of words. How do you feel?"

"I don't feel anything. I don't feel any emotions"

"Perhaps it's for the best. Now you have a clear head when it comes to the curse. Emotions can cloud one's judgment. Have you thought about your choice?"

"No"

He gripped her hand. "I want you to choose what seems reasonable. Without your heart, you'll make the logical choice. I want you to do whatever would make you happy"

"Make me happy?"

Merlin nodded. She thought about something to make her happy. After a few minutes, an idea popped into her head. She claimed to need to go to work at the hospital. Conjuring her coat, she suggested that he could take a little tour to adjust to Storybrooke. Instead of the hospital, she headed for the cemetery. She entered the mausoleum. Pushing aside a coffin, she saw a staircase. She descended down the stairs, which led to a massive vault. Shelves lined the walls, all containing hearts. She entered one of the rooms. Regina was standing next to a coffin with Aria's father.

He placed a rose on top of the coffin. Aria listened to their conversation. Regina blamed him for Cora's death. He called it a desperate situation. She swore to kill Snow for what she caused. Her father told her to give up her obsession with vengeance. Regina did not look eager to let go of her anger. As her father walked towards the stairs, Aria made herself invisible. He glanced in the direction where she was hiding. She held her breath, staying perfectly still. After a minute, he left the vault. She reversed the spell. Regina had not moved from the coffin. Aria walked over to her. Regina glared harshly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry about your mother. She was a complete lunatic but she was still your family. I can relate. I lost my mother too"

"Your mother is still alive"

"She just adopted me. You seriously think that my father would have anything to do with some lowly servant? I lost my mother when I was 3…and I saw her die too. You never get over it"

"Why are you here, Aria?"

She leaned against the coffin. "I want to help you"

Regina looked at her, warily. She scoffed.

"You think I'm a fool?"

"I'm not lying. You can't just kill Snow. Henry would never forgive you. If you did that, he'd choose Emma. I mean, with his father here, it's like an adorable little family. I know a way to get him back and get rid of Snow"

"And how would I do that?"

"It's a curse in one of my father's books. You wouldn't know it. It's called the curse of the empty-hearted. It makes someone think they love you. That's as good as you'll get. It needs chimera blood, viper's eye, and the heart of the person you hate most"

"Why are you telling me this? Isn't she your friend?"

"Do you want to get Henry or not?"

Aria knew that Regina would be manipulated if she brought up Henry. He was her weakness. All she cared about was having his love. Aria conjured a piece of paper with the instructions for the curse. Regina went over to a cabinet. It contained Aria's father's potions ingredients. She took out two vials. Regina threatened that if this was some trick, she would go after Aria next. Aria crossed her arms.

"I have no reason to trick you. I'm on no one's side but my own, Regina"

She smirked as Regina left the vault. Aria went over to the cabinet. Her father would know if anything had gone missing without even being here. Within ten minutes, her phone vibrated. It was David. He had a panicked tone to his voice.

"David, slow down. Are you sure she's using that curse?"

"Yes. Gold said that all she needs is Snow's heart. We need to stop her"

She looked at random vials. "She has to be killed. There's no other option"

"Well your father isn't being much help"

"Tell him that I want him to help you. I'm sure he can think of a potion…or a curse. I wish I could help but I'm stuck at the hospital. Call me when you get a plan"

Aria grabbed some of the vials, putting them in her coat pocket. Using a spell, she tracked Merlin to the docks. She appeared in front of him. He jumped slightly. She giggled.

"Aw, did I scare you?"

"I wasn't expecting that. You're done with the hospital already?"

"I lied. I wasn't at the hospital. I went to see Regina"

"The evil queen? Why?"

"I told her how to get her revenge on Snow"

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"You said to do what makes me happy. Chaos makes me happy. I'm pitting them against each other, playing both sides. It's fun"

"Aria, that isn't proper behavior. Light magic is about"

"I'm choosing dark magic. I like destruction and power, Merlin. Now that my emotions are gone, the choice is simple. I like dark magic. Why would I want to be good? Being bad is a lot more fun"

Merlin looked at her, surprised. She smiled.

"N—no. You're…Aria, I think you're confused. You're not like your father"

"You're right. I'm better than him. I don't have the same weakness as him…his love for Belle. It's thanks to you. I bet I could become even more powerful than him once the curse is over. I'll make the Dark One look like a saint"

Aria grabbed his arm, wanting to show him the town…


	26. Helping Aria

-The next day- Yesterday had not gone as Aria planned. Henry, in an attempt to stop the fighting, brought dynamite to the well in the forest. He wanted to get rid of magic, believing that it caused people to make bad decisions. Regina did not enact her curse since Henry told her it would not be real love. Though Snow asked her to kill her, Regina was satisfied to see that Snow's heart had darkened from her recent manipulations. She claimed that Snow's heart would grow darker and Snow herself would destroy her family.

Aria stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around her, she went into her room. Aria stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Suppressing a laugh, she waved her hand. There was a loud groan of pain, followed by a dark figure falling from her closet. Turning around, she saw Hook. He got up, rubbing his shoulder.

"Hiding in my closet? Are you trying to be a scary monster? It hasn't been a week yet"

"I convinced the girl to take me back early. I played on her insecurities that Emma may be something more to Bae"

"Well look who has a brain inside that tiny little head. So clever"

From his pocket, he took out her heart charm. He opened it, showing her heart inside.

"How could you do this to yourself?"

"Magic"

"I didn't mean it literally. Look at what Cora became because she ripped out her heart. Do you want to end up like her?"

Using magic, she put on a pair of shorts and a tank top. "If you're not going to leave, you can help me stretch before my run"

Aria put her leg over his shoulder. She questioned if she was making him nervous. He was just silent. She smirked, feeling his heart race. As she leaned closer, his eyes flickered to her chest.

"Aria, you need your heart"

"I like being this way"

"It isn't you"

"Cause you know me so well" she replied, sarcastically.

"I know enough that you don't want to be like this forever. Where would you even get the idea to rip out your own heart?"

"Logic. You know, now that I use my magic more, I can hear ever little thought in your head…see every fantasy that you have of me. You're very dirty"

She put her leg down and slid her hand up his shirt, feeling his muscles. Their eyes locked. His hand reached up, brushing against her cheek. It trailed along her neck, making her shiver. She grabbed his wrist. Holding it in a tight grip, she could feel his bones close to breaking. The heart charm fell from his grasp.

"You think I'm an idiot?"

"Aria, listen to me"

"No. I do whatever I want"

She vanished from the room…

~Killian~

Killian watched as Aria vanished in a wisp of blue smoke. He had not been surprised that she could do magic. Being the Dark One's daughter, it gave her a more natural inclination to magical abilities. He easily deceived Baelfire's fiancee. When he first asked her to take him back to Storybrooke, she refused since Baelfire told her to wait until a week passed. Killian brought up the past relationship between him and Emma. Like any other person, she seemed a bit threatened by it. She did not want Emma to steal him back. They arrived in Storybrooke early this morning. He immediately went to Aria's home, intending to return her heart. She was even more different than usual. Her demeanor became very cold and manipulative. From being around Cora, he knew that ripping out a heart caused the person to have a lack of emotions.

Instead of searching for Aria, he went over to the diner. He saw her friend Marissa in the back alley, throwing away bags filled with trash. When he and Cora observed the town, he saw that she worked at this diner. He was aware of her close relationship with Aria. It would be easier to gain her trust than that knight Devon or their more cautious friend Jane.

"Marissa"

She noticed him in the alley. "Don't think you're using me again. I'll…hit you with this trash bag"

"I'm not going to hurt you"

"Why would I believe you?"

"I need your help with Aria. She's in trouble"

Killian showed her the heart charm. He explained what Aria had done back in Manhattan. Marissa was reluctant to believe it at first until she saw the heart inside the charm. She did not understand why Aria would do something so dangerous. As she held the charm, she felt upset that she passed off Aria's strange behavior as nothing. Her friends assumed that she was struggling to deal with Baelfire being in town since he was Rumplestiltskin's first child. Devon had noticed the emptiness in her eyes but did not think it had to do with her heart. Marissa closed the charm.

"We should talk to Merlin"

"Merlin?" he asked, confused.

"Yea. She met him in Manhattan"

She told him how Merlin was close friends with Aria's mother back in the Enchanted Forest. Killian knew about his kingdom, Camelot. Around 31 years ago, it had completely vanished. It was shortly after the dark witch Morgan's death. Rumors spread that Morgan enacted one final curse to get back at her half-brother, King Arthur. Marissa said it had been Rumplestiltskin's doing. He sent the kingdom to this land to test his Dark Curse that Regina later used to bring them to Storybrooke. The residents of the kingdom landed in various cities, including Manhattan. Killian heard stories about him where he was described as this great wizard. Back in the Enchanted Forest, people considered him to be almost as powerful as Rumplestiltskin. Merlin arrived in Storybrooke a few days ago and was staying in Aria's home. Marissa found it strange that he never said anything to Aria's mother, considering they were old friends.

"He's in the diner. Come on"

Killian followed her into the diner. She pointed at one of the back tables. He recognized the boy from the park who did foolish tricks. Marissa brought him over to the table. He was on one of those phone devices, whispering quietly. For a second, Killan thought he said Aria. Seeing them, he closed the phone.

"Hi Merlin"

"Um…hello, Marissa. Can I help you?"

"It's Aria. She needs our help. She ripped out her heart"

"Did she?"

Killian noticed that he sounded oddly calm. He looked at him, suspiciously.

"Why are you not panicking?"

"Clearly, her father drove her to it"

"But Aria's been with him for years"

"Perhaps she's realized that he only truly cares for his son and she's merely a pawn in his games"

"That's not true. He loves Aria. He's always protected her…even if they couldn't be together"

"That beast isn't capable of love. It seems the people here forget how he used to be back home"

Marissa sighed. "You're no help. I'm going to find Aria. Maybe I can talk sense to her"

She looked at Killian and asked him to come with her. He told her to wait outside for a minute. She left the diner. The atmosphere was very different due to the tension between Merlin and Killian. Merlin glared.

"Something you wish to say, pirate?" he asked with clear disdain.

"You're who Aria was meeting in that bar. How do you know her?"

"I was close with her mother"

"And yet, according to Marissa, you haven't said a word to her since you came here. Aria was fine until she left the bar. What did you say to her?"

"That is none of your concern. You have it, don't you? Why don't you give it to me and I'll handle this problem myself?"

Killian did not let go of the charm. He was distrustful of Merlin and his intentions. The only person who would return her heart would be him. He walked out of the diner. Marissa had called her friends. A few mentioned seeing Aria near the docks. They headed in that direction…

~Aria~

Aria was running in the woods. Merlin kept calling her, insisting that they meet at the diner. He was worried about her state of mind. She spotted Henry standing near the well. He had a book in his hands. She went over to him.

"Hi Aria"

"Henry, what are you doing? You don't have dynamite again, do you?"

"No. I found a way to get rid of magic though. It was in Mr. Gold's shop. I snuck in there this morning and found a spell that can reverse spells or potions used on an object. So if we try it on the well, the magic could disappear"

He showed her a page in the book. It was one of the ancient spells. Aria's eyes widened slightly as she read the passage. She could not let magic leave Storybrooke. It was too important. He asked her to cast the spell. She glanced up from the book.

"I can't do that"

"Do we need someone more powerful to try the spell?"

Her nails dug in the cover of the book as she felt a surge of anger. "Are you saying I'm not good at magic?"

"N—no. I just meant…someone older like Mr. Gold. Maybe we could convince him"

"You're right, Henry. Why don't you call him on my phone?"

She took out her phone. As he reached for it, she slammed his head into the well. He fell to the ground, unconscious. There was a large gash on the side of his head. She pressed her hand into the book. The spell vanished from the page. She put the book down next to him and cast a spell to alter his memory.

"Annoying little brat" she hissed.

"Henry? Are you out here?"

Emma and David were walking up the path. Seeing Henry, she rushed over to him.

"Aria, what happened?"

"It was Regina. He's still on this whole getting rid of magic idea. He was telling me that he found a way but he didn't make much sense. Regina tried to get him again and knocked his head into the well when he refused to go with her"

"Regina did this?" she asked, checking Henry's wound.

"Yea. I tried to stop her but I wasn't strong enough"

David picked him up from the ground. He told Aria to stay out of Regina's way since she was a bit unstable lately. She nodded and watched them leave the woods…

~Killian~

As they searched for Aria, Killian and Marissa ran into Devon. She explained the situation to him. He said that Aria went running in the woods. When they headed for the woods, they saw Emma and David, holding her unconscious son. He had a very bad wound on the side of his head. David told Devon that Regina hurt him. Devon claimed that was impossible because he had been watching Regina all morning. She never left her home. David suggested that she used magic to get to the woods. Aria had been the one to find Henry. Killian got a bad feeling that she hurt him, not Regina. Marissa groaned in frustration.

"It's going to be impossible to find her. She won't answer her phone and she's using magic so often now that her dad lets her. She could vanish as soon as we're close to her"

"I just don't get why Aria would rip out her heart. She hates that kind of magic. Maybe Merlin's right. Maybe now that she's around her dad all the time, he's influencing her"

"You think he wanted her to rip out her own heart? That's insane. He's her father, Devon. Why would he do something that makes her lose all of her emotions?"

An idea popped into his head. "One of you go tell him what's happened. Tell him that Merlin's here"

"Why?" asked Marissa.

"Just go. Bring him to her home"

Devon offered to find him at the antiques shop. Killian and Marissa headed for Aria's house. Merlin did not know anyone else in the town. Killian figured he would stay in the house for most of the day. Merlin was walking down the staircase. Killian grabbed him by his shirt collar and pinned him to the wall. Using the fairy dust left in Aria's charm, he was able to bind Merlin's magic. His hook dug into his neck. Merlin winced in pain.

"Let go of me!"

"Magic can't help you now. We're going to have a little chat. I was willing to accept your idea that Rumplestiltskin was just using her as some chess piece in his little games. We know how he was back in our land. Then, I realized something. He is nothing like that with Aria. He genuinely cares for her…and would never put her through something like this. I have a different theory. She didn't get this way until she finished meeting you in that bar. I think you said something to her to make her want to rip out her own heart. It can't be coincidence, mate"

"T—that's insane. Marissa, how can you side with him?"

Marissa looked between him and Killian. She crossed her arms.

"You didn't even seem to care when I told you what happened"

"O—of course I did"

The hook began to draw blood. "I'd start talking before I skin you alive. I don't think she'd stop me"

"Fine, yes, you caught me, pirate. I wanted Aria to lose her heart. I planted ideas in her head. At the bar, I told her this little lie…it might be true but it probably isn't. I wanted her to feel distraught and emotionally destroyed so she would see no other option to get rid of that suffering"

Marissa grabbed a knife from the kitchen table, looking ready to stab him.

"Why?"

"Emotions cloud our judgment. Her curse was going to be enacted soon. She needed to choose the right side"

"What curse?" asked Killian.

Merlin told them that Aria had a curse from her mother's side of the family. It turned out that the handmaiden was not her real mother. She was the daughter of Morgan, which explained Merlin's connection to her. The curse started when their hand got covered in the blood of an innocent. Killian remembered how Aria panicked at the sight of blood on her hand after they got rid of the scavengers. The curse made them choose a side to magic, light or dark, after a set amount of days. Their choice led to the death of someone on either side. Aria's curse was different due to her parents being very powerful in magic, especially Rumplestiltskin. When Aria made her choice, it would have large consequences for both sides, good and bad.

He knew that she was too close to Rumplestiltskin and it could affect her judgment, causing her to choose dark magic as Morgan had done. Merlin did not want that to repeat with Aria. He thought that if she ripped out her heart, logic would drive her to light magic and Rumplestiltskin would be the one to die. Killian understood his motives. Merlin did not care about how this impacted Aria. He wanted revenge on Rumplestiltskin.

"My plan backfired. She was supposed to be predisposed to light magic….not dark. It's his"

"It's not his fault! You think her mother was such a saint? She tried to destroy your entire kingdom" said Marissa.

"Morgan was a good witch until she met him. He showed her dark magic and I couldn't stop her from getting drawn into that temptation. He deserves to die. He was the one who ruined our kingdom and took us from our homes "

Merlin looked at Killian. "How are you not on my side? You've wanted revenge on him for 300 years"

"Not anymore. Aria's more important to me than that. I know killing him would hurt her too much. Clearly, you don't care about her feelings in this. We're going to put her heart back and then tell her all about your scheme"

The front door opened. He chuckled.

"She'll never believe you"

"Oh, I think she'd believe me"

Devon entered the hallway with Rumplestiltskin. Killian removed his hook from Merlin's neck. Merlin had a deep hatred in his eyes. There were constant rumors about a rivalry between them. It came from their different sides of magic, light and dark.

"Don't think we won't let him beat you into a coma. You're supposed to be all pure and good…but you're worse than him" said Marissa.

"I suggest you leave this town, Merlin"

"It's your fault that she's like this. You did the same thing to Morgan. Even if you give her heart back, I'll ensure that her curse kills you. You deserve it for all that you've done"

"I think we need some time alone. Go find Aria"

They left the house. Marissa suggested that they get back-up to help with Aria…

~Aria~

Aria was sitting in the woods, practicing her magic. She set fire to a small clearing. As she watched the clearing burn, she sensed someone approaching her. She waved her hand. Marissa, Devon, David, Emma, Snow, and Neal were thrown out from the nearby trees. Snow was the first to stand up and gave Aria a pleading look.

"Aria, please. This isn't you. Just let us help"

"I think you're the one that needs help. You're not so Snow White anymore, are you?"

Aria could see her heart. There was a small black spot.

"Aria, Merlin tricked you. Whatever he told you in Manhattan…it was a lie. He wanted you to rip out your heart so you'd kill Gold. He was tricking you. Look at what he caused. You hurt Henry" said Emma.

"He's a brat. Clearly, he gets it from his deadbeat, cowardly father" she said, looking at Neal.

"You can say all you want. I know it's not really you" he replied.

"This is me. If you can't accept it, too bad"

"We're going to put your heart back where it belongs…even if we have to hurt you to do it"

She scoffed. "That's not going to happen"

They tried to take her down. She easily used magic to stop them. Neal was about to lunge at her. She grabbed him by his throat, lifting him into the air. The others were repelled back. With a quick spell, she kept them frozen.

"Maybe I should take out your heart too. Then you can stop whining like a little bitch about how Daddy abandoned you"

She threw him into a tree. Grabbing him by his hair, she tilted his head back.

"Or maybe I'll just get rid of you. You don't deserve to be his son. You're worthless and pathetic"

Suddenly, she was tackled to the ground hard. Hook kept her arms pinned above her head. A heart was in his hand. He put it into her chest. She gasped. Everything from the past few days flashed through her mind. She panted heavily.

"Aria, it's all right. Just take a minute"

Aria vanished from the woods. In the next instant, she was in her house. Her father had Merlin pinned to the wall. She rushed over to them.

"Dad, stop"

"He needs to pay, Aria. He hurt you"

"Killing him won't solve anything. I'm fine"

Aria separated them and looked at Merlin. "Did you lie about what you told me in Manhattan?"

"Yes. I knew the effect it would have on you"

"Get out. Go back to Manhattan and don't ever come near me again"

"Aria, please. I can help. You can't keep siding with him"

"I'm not! I'm siding with myself and what I want! I want you to get out of my life!"

Merlin glared at her father. He threatened that Arthur knew Aria was alive and would come after her. Her father did not seem fazed. She conjured his suitcase and threw it into his chest.

"You're making a mistake. I care about you…just as I cared about your mother. Don't let him manipulate you"

"The only one who manipulated me is you. Get out"

He left the house. Her father hugged her.

"It's alright, dove. This isn't your fault. Our feud goes back to even before I met your mother. Tell me what I can do to help"

"I just want to sleep and forget all of this"

He kissed her forehead. "He won't bother you anymore"

She went up to her room. Lying in her bed, she stared at the wall. She did not understand how Merlin could trick her and lie to her. The door creaked open and someone entered her room.

"You don't even try to be subtle, do you?"

They sat on the bed. Turning her head, she saw Hook.

"Do you want to be alone?"

"No. I want you to stay with me…Killian"

He looked at her, surprised. She rested her head against his chest. As she fell asleep, she felt his arm slide around her waist, protectively…


	27. Greg Knows

-The next day- Aria was fast asleep in her room. Feeling the sunlight on her face, she squeezed her pillow, not wanting to wake up yet.. Her blanket got tangled, tightening around her waist. She heard footsteps, knowing Annabeth was going to force her out of bed. The door opened and she pretended to still be asleep.

"Aria, for goodness sake, it's almost noon and you're still—Aria!"

Annabeth's shout made her eyes pop open. She sat up, sleepily. Adjusting to the light, she looked at Annabeth. There was a mixed expression of concern and fury on her face. Glancing to her side, she realized what made her shout. Aria had not been leaning on a pillow, but on a shirtless Killian. She had forgotten that he stayed in her room. He was starting to wake up, rubbing his eyes, and noticed Annabeth.

"You still live with your mother?"

"What is he doing in your room, Aria?"

"It's not what you think. We weren't—I—the…it's nothing"

Aria struggled to come up with an explanation. She was too tired to even form a coherent sentence. Annabeth left the room in a huff. Aria smacked his chest.

"I don't need your snarky attitude. My mom's here because during the curse, we were separated and she missed me. Just stay here"

She went downstairs. Annabeth was in front of the closet, grabbing her coat. Aria worried that she would tell her father. When she attempted to explain that Killian was just there to comfort her, Annabeth did not seem pleased. She told Aria that she could not trust him, due to him being a dangerous pirate. Annabeth brought up the fact that he attempted to kill her father and seriously injured Aria on his ship.

"He helped put my heart back. How is that being a bad person?"

"Hook is manipulative. He didn't get his reputation by being sweet and kind. You can't be fooled by his good looks"

"I'm not. I'm not going to start popping out his babies, Annabeth. I just…we can at least try to be friends. Please don't say anything to my dad"

"The fact that you're hiding this from your father means you know this is wrong"

"No. I know that he'll freak out about it. I spent years despising King George but I was nice to him because you wanted me to be…and he was a complete lunatic. So I think you can do the same for Killian. Give him a chance"

"Kil—Aria, no good will come of this. I am going to work. You can get the groceries since it's your day off. That man better be gone when I return"

Annabeth left the house. Aria groaned and went into the kitchen. There was a list of groceries on the counter. She waved her hand, changing her outfit, and made a pot of coffee. As she took a sip, Killian entered the kitchen.

"Oh, now you put on clothes…you just had to be shirtless in front of my mother"

"I didn't know she lived here. Are you going to punish me for getting you in trouble?" he asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"Not in a fun way"

He looked at the coffee. She realized that he never really adjusted to this world. When he came to Storybrooke, he and Cora mainly stayed on his ship. He did not know about various foods and drinks and other amenities. It was very different from the Enchanted Forest. She explained coffee to him. Grabbing the pot, she poured coffee into another cup. He picked it up from the counter.

"It's hot"

"It's supposed to be. Don't drink it too fast"

She heard a knock on the door. Opening it, she saw Emma and Henry. Emma asked Aria to watch over Henry while she and David handled things at the sheriff's station. Snow was still in a depressed state from the incident with Cora so the children in her class did not have to go to school. Aria agreed, thinking of a fun idea. Emma promised to pay her back for her help. Aria shut the door. Henry hugged her.

"Hey handsome. Want to help me get some groceries?"

"Sure"

There was a yell, followed by the sound of something breaking. Aria rolled her eyes. She brought Henry into the kitchen. Killian was holding a dish rag to his mouth. The coffee cup laid in pieces on the floor. She repaired the cup with magic. It floated into the sink.

"I told you not to drink it fast. Henry, Hook's going to come with us to the store. I bet you have a lot of questions to ask him…"

She passed Killian to get the grocery list. "Enjoy your punishment" she whispered.

He looked at her, confused. She smiled innocently. As they left the house, Henry asked him all kinds of questions about being a pirate and Neverland. Practically everyone in Storybrooke had gone through this after the curse broke. Henry was a very curious kid. With each question, Killian seemed to get more annoyed. Henry showed him the book of fairytales. There were drawings of Killian on some pages. He looked at the book.

"I don't look anything like this"

"Yea. This makes you look almost attractive" joked Aria.

Killian shot her a mocking glare. She smirked at him. They went into the supermarket. Henry grabbed a cart. They went down each aisle. People kept staring, mostly at Killian. Like Annabeth, they saw him as this ruthless pirate. Aria knew there was more to him. She wanted to give him a chance. If it was not for him, she would still be heartless and causing all kinds of trouble. She did not care about their gossiping. Some whispered that she might be under a spell to be near him or that he threatened her. They remarked that her father would not be pleased about Aria hanging around his enemy. She was sure some of these people had been victims of his past deceptions. They were in the cereal aisle. She let Henry choose, watching him pick ones with the most sugar. He put them into the cart. Aria noticed that Killian was not next to her. She saw him further down the aisle, holding a box.

"Aw, you're actually doing something. That's a first"

"You have magical food here?"

"What?"

He showed the box to her. It was Lucky Charms. He pointed to the quote on top of the picture of the cereal that said _They're Magically Delicious_. She giggled and put the box back on the shelf.

"It's just a phrase to make people buy the cereal. It's not actually magical. It's good though…you really only get it for the marshmallows"

He grabbed another box, acting like a small child. "This man can't be a pirate. What kind of name is Crunch?"

"It's not a real person. I think we need to get you away from the cereal. I'll get ice cream. Henry, why don't you two find the last few things?"

"Got it. Come on, Hook. You can keep telling me about Neverland"

Killian gave her a pleading look. She pretended to wipe away a tear. Going down the ice cream aisle, she looked at the different flavors. She grabbed multiple cartons.

"I hope that's not all for you"

Turning around, she saw Greg. He had a small basket of food. She smiled.

"No. I'm just doing shopping for me and my mother"

"You've been gone for a while. I feel like it's been months since I last saw you"

"I had to go to Manhattan to help my father with business. You must be enjoying Storybrooke"

"It's growing on me. It's a magical little town"

Aria got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She thought his word choice was strange. There was something not right about him. She talked with Greg for a few minutes.

"Why don't you have dinner with me tonight? It might be a bit forward but"

"I'd love to"

"Great. I'm still at the inn so you can meet me there. Does 8 work for you?"

"Yea. That sounds"

She winced, feeling something strike her side. Looking down, she saw a box of candy. Henry ran over and picked up the candy.

"Sorry, Aria. We were playing catch and he threw it really far"

"Don't worry about it" she replied as Killian walked over to them.

He feigned an innocent expression. She knew that he hit her on purpose.

"Greg, this is uh Henry"

"Yea, we met in the woods yesterday. Feeling better?"

Henry nodded. "And this is a friend of mine, Killian"

"You're the one I hit with my car. I'm really sorry about that"

"No worries, mate" said Killian.

"I should get going. I'll see you tonight, Aria"

Killian watched him walk towards the registers. Aria asked Henry to put the ice cream in the cart. As he walked away, Aria crossed her arms.

"What is your problem? You hit me on purpose"

"Why did he say he would see you tonight?"

"We're having dinner"

"He's too old for you"

She scoffed. "Okay, first of all, you really have no right to call someone old when you're over 300. Second, it's not a date. I think he saw my father use magic. He's hiding something and I'm going to find out what it is before he gets more outsiders to come here and they find out about werewolves and a guy with a hook for a hand"

"You could just tell Swan about it"

"Emma has enough problems with Neal and his fiancee and Snow being depressed. I think I can handle Greg by myself"

He did not look happy about this dinner. They found Henry by a register. Aria paid the cashier and used magic to put all of the groceries into one bag. Killian grabbed it for her. He was oddly quiet as they returned to her house. Instead of going inside, he claimed he wanted to check on his ship. She took the grocery bag. He grabbed her arm.

"Be careful around that man"

She was surprised by the concerned tone in his voice. "I'll be fine. Thanks for helping…and staying with me last night"

Aria went into the kitchen. Once they unpacked everything, she and Henry spent the day at her house, watching movies. Emma got him later in the day. As it neared seven, she changed for dinner with Greg. She put on a short tight-fitting dress that showed off her curves and a pair of heels. After swiping on some lip gloss, she grabbed her coat and left the house. She entered the inn. Checking the guestbook, she found Greg's room. She went up to the second floor. Knocking on the door, she waited. The door opened and Greg smiled.

"Hey, you made it. I uh wish I could've made dinner myself but all I could do was get food from the diner"

She giggled. "It's okay. Granny's does have the best food"

He let her into the room. There was a table set up with candles and a bottle of wine. She mentally told herself to play along. If Greg had any idea about magic, it could threaten the town. She took off her coat.

"Heh, you look…amazing"

"Thank you"

He pulled out the chair for her. Aria sat at the table. During dinner, Greg kept complimenting her and she acted a little flirtatious. He was hooked from the moment she entered the room.

"So tell me the truth. Why are you staying here?"

"I wanted to get to know you"

"You abandoned your trip for a pretty girl?"

Greg chuckled. "Pretty is an understatement. You are gorgeous"

"I think you're just saying that"

"No. I don't know how you're single"

"Maybe I haven't found the right guy…yet" she said, secretly brushing here foot against his leg.

She noticed Greg get a bit tense. Before she could ask him more, his phone rang. He apologized and left the room to answer it. Aria looked around his room but found no clues. His phone could have information if he texted someone after the accident. She needed a distraction to get it. Greg returned to the room.

"Sorry about that. A friend was just calling"

"Can I be honest with you? There's a reason I agreed to dinner with you. I"

Her eyes widened when he kissed her. Aria went along with it despite the fact that it felt like he was swallowing her face. She tugged on his belt buckle, pulling him closer. Behind his back, she waved her hand. His phone floated over hers. She used a spell to transfer all of its information to her phone. His hands grasped her backside. She resisted the urge to hurt him. Touching his shoulder, she knocked him out, making him fall to the floor. She wiped her mouth, disgusted.

"Whatever you're hiding better be worth feeling like I just got kissed by a dog"

Aria placed him on his bed. She put a wine glass next to him to make him think he passed out from drinking. Taking her phone, she left the inn. Greg's phone had video of Regina using magic in two different situations. One was from her in Belle's hospital room and the other was of her taking Snow's heart in front of her house. Like Aria assumed, he had seen magic. He sent the videos to a contact named Her. She went over to Regina's house and banged on the door. It opened, revealing a shirtless Alec with disheveled hair.

"I'd say I was shocked but that would be a lie" she said.

"It's not what you—why are you here?"

"I need to see Regina"

"Alec, who is it?"

Regina walked down the staircase, tying her robe. She glared at Aria.

"What do you want?"

"We have a problem"

Aria showed her the videos. "Where did you"

"Our little outsider took them…and he's sent them to someone. I suggest you handle it since it's you in the videos and you were too stupid to close a door"

Regina went back upstairs. Alec leaned against the doorway, smirking. His eyes traveled over her revealing outfit.

"So how did you get those videos, Aria? I'm curious"

"None of your business. Don't let Regina kill him. Make sure she finds another way to get him out of Storybrooke"

"Why should I?"

"You owe me. You took advantage of me for 28 years, Alec. If you do this, maybe I'll hate you a little less"

"I'll try talking to her. I can't guarantee anything"

She returned home and laid down on her bed. For the next few hours, she kept watching the videos, worried about who else had seen them…


	28. Aria vs Merlin

-The next day- Aria was at Granny's diner with her friends and Killian. Their reactions to him being near them differed greatly. The girls warmed up to him quickly, trusting Aria's judgment. They thought that if she could get along with him, he must not be that awful. The guys were not as accepting. They acted like Annabeth, focusing on his past and reputation. The only thing stopping them from fighting with him was Aria. None of her friends would want to get her angry. She showed them the videos from Greg's phone. All of them worried about him seeing other unusual things in the town. Greg could have witnessed Cora using magic without getting evidence. Aria planned to continue flirting with Greg to trick him into revealing any other information. Devon was looking at the video of Regina in the hospital. He shook his head.

"She didn't even attempt to hide it. She really couldn't just walk over to Belle's purse?"

Aria shrugged. "Magic makes her lazy"

"Couldn't you erase his memories? I'm sure there's a simple spell" said Killian.

"But he sent these to someone. We need to figure out who this Her is..."

"He must not like her if he calls her that. I guess it could be a nickname. But what if this person lives in his hometown? What if she's posted videos on the internet?" asked Jane, worried.

"I'm pretty sure we'd have seen a video called '_Psychotic bitch rips out heart_' by now. Maybe it's not an accident that he came here. I mean, he has evidence of magic…why doesn't he just leave?"

"Let Regina clean up her mess. You need to focus on that curse. There's 3 days left and you're still clueless" said Ruby.

She sighed. Ruby made a good point. She had enough problems of her own and did not need to add Greg into the mix. Her mother's book still provided nothing useful for the curse. She just wanted a way to avoid the sacrifice part. Marissa was looking at the book, unable to see any of the writings.

"This is like a prank. Hey, I got you this book…but only you can read it so no one else can help you find anything in it"

Aria took the book from her. She saw Henry enter the diner with Neal and Tamara. He went over to their table.

"Henry, do you ever go to school?" asked Tristan.

"Mary Margaret's still upset. We have worksheets to do but they're easy. We're picking up breakfast and then going back to my dad's room so I can get to know Tamara better"

Neal smiled. He had his arm around Tamara.

"Aria, here you are. Tamara, this is my little sister Aria. You two haven't met yet"

"It's nice to meet you"

"Oh, she's adorable, Neal"

Aria smiled sweetly. They went over to the counter to order food from Granny. Her smile faltered.

"I don't like her"

"What are you talking about?" asked Killian.

"There's something not right about her. I can read people…she's up to something"

"She's going to be your family soon. You have to get along. Don't tell him you don't like her"

"But"

"Aria, don't cause tension. You barely know her. Promise you won't say that to him"

She scrunched her nose. It reminded her of when Annabeth made a young Aria promise to never disrespect King George. She could not shake this bad feeling around Tamara. After a few minute, she groaned.

"Oh, fine. I know I'm right though…she's trouble"

"You were just being nice to her" said Tristan, confused.

"She called me adorable. What am I, a baby?"

"I don't think that was the intent"

Neal returned to their table. Henry and Tamara were standing by the counter, talking. He nudged Aria's side.

"So? What do you think of Tamara?"

"I think she's shady"

Killian smacked her shoulder. She winced slightly.

"What did you just promise not even a minute ago?"

"To not say I don't like her. I called her shady. It's completely different. Well he just heard me say it so Neal, I don't like her"

Neal chuckled. "What?"

"You need to dump her and kick her out of Storybrooke. Just do it like ripping off a bandage"

"Aria, we're getting married soon"

"Well that's a mistake. Dump her. I have a sixth sense about these things. I had the same feelings when I met Regina. From the moment I met her, I knew she was going to be bad news and…look at her now. I knew David's brother James was a perverted prat and I was right again. Get rid of her"

Aria was rarely wrong about people. She would have seen through Merlin's deceptions if she did not have a close connection to him. When they met, she just felt so happy about seeing someone else that was like family besides Annabeth and her father. She knew Tamara had some secret. Neal crossed his arms.

"You're wrong. To prove it to you, I'm going to tell her all about Storybrooke and where I really come from…then you'll see that she cares about me"

"Neal, I'm not kidding. I see things that you don't. You know why? Because I don't have a dick"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that when guys see a pretty girl with a nice body, your brain goes from your head and travels down to the twig between your legs. I don't have that problem so I see things clearly. Tamara is sketchy"

"That is ridiculous, Aria. She is not sketchy or two-faced. She is a great girl"

He left the diner with Tamara and Henry. Killian raised an eyebrow at her.

"What? I know I'm right. He has to get rid of her. We have enough problems with Greg"

"And what if you are wrong? She could just be here to be with him. You have no proof that she is being dishonest"

After breakfast, her friends went to work. Aria got Victor to take her shift, wanting to focus on the curse. Killian offered to help her. They sat together in the park. She transferred words from the book onto a separate piece of paper. As she read the book, she kept thinking about Tamara.

"You would think one of your ancestors wanted to find a way to avoid killing someone"

"All magic has a price. My mother always said it didn't matter what path you chose…it's what you did with it. She chose dark magic to get rid of Arthur's father because he treated her badly but she never considered herself a dark witch. I mean, I know she tried to destroy my uncle's kingdom but she had her reasons. No one's perfect"

He took the book from her. Curiously, he touched one of the pages. It had writing about the required sacrifice. He said it was two pages stuck together. The pages did not move apart. She thought it might be sealed by magic. Waving her hand, she got the pages to separate. There was a hidden note. She unfolded it, seeing her mother's handwriting. The note was addressed to Aria. It said that if she found the note, she was dealing with the family curse. She knew that her father would enact the Dark Curse one day, sending them to a different world. Her mother wrote about how when she was Aria's age, she hoped to avoid the sacrifice. She had found a way to alter the curse but her urge to get revenge on Arthur's father proved too great. It would allow Aria to make any choice she wanted without anyone dying. She needed to find the curse symbol in a hidden location. Her mother suggested that it would be at a place with a large amount of magical energy.

"Aria, what does it say?"

"My mother found a way around it. She knew that the Dark Curse would happen…she must've known he was practicing it on Arthur's kingdom. I have to find the symbol on my palm somewhere in the town. She said it would be somewhere with a lot of magic"

"You could try the well where the magic entered this world"

She ripped off the dagger charm. Blowing on it, she produced a golden glow around it.

"It'll show us where to go"

"You should rest a bit"

"I don't have time to rest. I have 2 days and—things keep happening. There's never just a calm day here. We have to deal with Greg who might expose us…and Regina wants to kill Snow…Tamara might be some liar who's just using Neal…this is the best time. I don't need you to come with me"

She got up from the bench. He grabbed her arm.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere alone. Aria, I just want you to be cautious. Your mother says this could have worked but she never attempted it herself. I don't want you to get your hopes up"

Using the dagger charm, they searched for the magical location. It was leading towards the mines. She walked through the narrow opening. The glowing stopped as they neared a bare wall. She looked for the symbol. After a few minutes, it seemed hopeless. She heard footsteps. They hid behind an empty cart. Alec entered the mine with two of Regina's other guards. He went over to the wall. From his pocket, he took out a necklace. Killian covered Aria's mouth.

"Stay quiet. Let's see why they're here" he whispered.

The golden pendant hanging from the necklace had an etching similar to the curse symbol.

"That's my mother's"

"Are you sure?"

"She always wore it. She had it on when she died…when the knights carried her away from the village"

Aria stood up from behind the cart. She pushed her hand aside. The two guards slammed into the ceiling, instantly falling unconscious. She appeared in front of Alec, lifting him up by his neck. He struggled to breathe.

"W—what the hell are you doing here? Are you stalking me? Maybe you did enjoy our cursed lives after all"

"Aria, don't"

Killian walked over to them. Alec chuckled.

"Of course he's with you. Does she have you whipped, pirate?"

She squeezed his neck. "Shut up. Where did you get that necklace?"

"Why don't you hit me a bit? We'll both enjoy that"

"I'll be the one torturing you, mate. Answer her question" said Killian, sternly.

"M—Merlin. He's been to Storybrooke before...showed up one day when you were in the Enchanted Forest with Emma and Snow. He used magic to disguise himself. I knew him through my father since he used to work for King Arthur before he switched to Snow's kingdom. He blackmailed me to help him with some plan. He wanted to get past this wall and after you threatened him to leave, he gave me the pendant"

Aria snarled. He grabbed her wrist, attempting to break her grip.

"I could kill you right here. Regina would be the only one to miss you. Why would Merlin want you down here? Talk now or I snap your neck, Alec"

"He wouldn't tell me much. All I know is that whatever is behind it…he was going to use it to kill Rumplestiltskin"

"He's still here, isn't he?"

Alec nodded. "At the inn. Room 30. He's been using magic to disguise himself from everyone. He's been around and you haven't noticed at all"

She took the necklace from him. "Aria, I swear…I wasn't going to let him hurt you. He promised that his only casualty would be Rumplestiltskin. Whatever is behind here, Merlin was certain it would kill him"

Reading his thoughts, she knew he was telling the truth. Aria used magic to knock him out and put him down on the ground. Killian crossed his arms.

"Do you believe him?"

"Yea. We need to get information out of Merlin"

"He could be anyone in the town. We didn't even notice he was here"

"But Alec's seen him"

She brushed her fingertips against Alec's forehead. A purple mist formed above him. She saw Alec go to Granny's inn. He knocked on one of the doors, revealing a middle-aged man with graying hair. She made the memory vanish and used a tracking spell to find Merlin.

"He's at the diner"

"By the time we get there, he could be gone"

"Good thing magic's quick"

Grabbing his sleeve, she vanished him from the mines. They landed in front of the diner. Merlin was at a back table, reading a newspaper. They sat across from him. She was able to see through his disguise. He chuckled.

"I was wondering when you'd figure me out, Aria. You're quicker than most. One time, I tricked your mother for months…posing as a beggar"

"I thought I told you to leave, Merlin"

"You're so much like her, you know. She was just the same, ordering people around like a ruler. She would have made a lovely queen. You even make her same faults…acquainting yourself with those beneath you. If she saw you with some filthy pirate, she would not be pleased"

Killian glared. She asked Merlin about using Alec for some scheme. Merlin admitted to visiting Storybrooke shortly after the curse broke to get a good idea of the town and its inhabitants. He had hoped to find Aria during his first visit and was frustrated that she had disappeared in the portal. Her mother had mentioned to Merlin what she wrote in her note to Aria. Before her burial, he stole her necklace as a tool to search for the correct magical location in Storybrooke.

"What do you want in the mines?"

"Clearly, you're after something there too. It's a pity I don't feel like sharing. I'm afraid I need to cut this chat short"

As he started to get up, Killian jammed his hook into Merlin's hand. She did not realize that he switched out the prosthetic. Merlin groaned in pain. Aria bit her lip, lightly. She mentally told herself to focus on interrogating Merlin. Her stomach twisted into small knots. Ruby walked over to pour coffee in Merlin's cup.

"Guys, what's going o"

"Ruby, it's nothing. We're just talking. He doesn't need more coffee" interrupted Aria, gazing into her eyes.

She nodded with a dazed expression. Aria watched her return to the counter.

"Look who's getting very good with her magic. Impressive considering your father kept it locked up inside you all these years"

"Answer my question, Merlin. What do you want in the mines? My mother said it would help with my curse. How does that relate to your plan to kill my father?"

"I don't need to tell you anything"

Killian dugged the hook deeper into his hand. Merlin grimaced.

"He's such a charmer, really. Aria, there's no reason for animosity between us. Let the curse kill your father…it will make your life much easier"

"Why would I do anything you say? My father's always been there for me. Maybe not physically but he's protected me all my life. You couldn't even stop Arthur from killing my mother. Maybe you wanted her dead…because she chose my father over you"

He snarled. She felt a sharp pain on her cheek. Touching it, she saw blood.

"Don't you dare disrespect me. You're a powerful witch…but you're nowhere near strong enough to do damage to me. If you keep up that little attitude, you'll suffer more than a mere scratch"

"Don't threaten her" hissed Killian.

"Yes. I'm frightened of the one-handed pirate" he replied, sarcastically.

"Tell me what's in the mines" she insisted.

"Your father's corpse is what's going to be in there"

She got up from the table. "We're not done"

"Oh, far from it. You don't want me as an enemy, Aria"

Killian followed her out of the diner. He reattached the prosthetic hand in case Greg or Tamara were around.

"You didn't get much out of him"

"He wouldn't tell us anything. We just need to get through that wall before him. He doesn't know I took the necklace from Alec"

They returned to the mines. She stared at the bare wall. Frustrated, she kicked the wall, causing some of the diamonds to fall from the ceiling. As the diamonds shattered, fairy dust emerged, covering the wall. Various symbols appeared. She found one that resembled the curse symbol. The pendant glowed. She pressed it against the symbol. The symbol was replaced by a large hole. She peeked through it, seeing nothing.

"Aria, wait"

Taking a chance, she slid her hand into the hole. She felt around for something behind the wall. The hole shrunk, clamping down on her arm. A burning sensation ran up her arm, making her cry out in pain. Killian attempted to pull her arm out from the hole. The pain got worse…

~Killian~

Killian was struggling to free Aria's arm from the wall. He had a bad feeling about this plan from the start. Aria only knew her mother for three years as a small child. Morgan had a horrible reputation. Killian was not aware of her relationship with Rumplestiltskin but knew that she was very involved in dark magic. People in other lands heard of her power, making them fear her. Aria could never think badly of her since she was her mother. Killian had worried that the note had been planted by Morgan as some scheme. He would not put it past her to use her own daughter to gain her revenge. Learning that Merlin was interested in this object in the mines made him even more suspicious. From what Alec told him and Aria, Merlin seemed certain that it could kill Rumplestiltskin even without using the dagger.

Aria panted, falling against the wall. He thought that Merlin could have been tricking her, knowing she would be intrigued by whatever was in the mines. It was clear that he no longer had her safety in mind. Seeing her side with Rumplestiltskin, he wanted to get rid of her so she could not ruin his plans. Her arm was freed from the wall. He held onto her. The wall crumpled to pieces, revealing nothing but empty space.

"No"

Merlin was near the entrance to the mines. He looked from the destroyed wall to Aria. His eyes flickered to her mother's necklace in her hand. He snarled. The walls shook violently. It would cause a collapse.

"It was to be mine! You insolent little brat! It doesn't matter…I'll drain you of your magic. You can rot in the ground with your whore mother"

Killian helped Aria up from the ground. She was holding her side.

"You'll be all right. I won't let him hurt you" he whispered.

Merlin conjured a ball of lightning in his palm. "Aria? Are you down here? Alec said you might be in trouble"

Emma and David entered the mines. Using the distraction, Killian hurried her down the narrow path. He barely dodged Merlin's attack. Merlin headed towards them. He was repelled back by some kind of invisible shield. Killian looked at Aria. There was a shadow behind her eyes. Merlin attempted to break the shield. He banged on it, angrily. His eyes narrowed at her.

"You can't do this to me"

"I think she is, you crazy son of a bitch" said Emma.

"You've picked the losing side. You choose that demon. I will hunt you all down to your end! I'll save you for last, Aria. I will not rest until I strangle you to your last breath! Do you hear me?!"

"We'll take our chances" sneered Killian.

They left the mines. Aria fainted. Killian kept her from hitting the ground. She had a very weak pulse. They brought her to the hospital. She was set up in a room, hooked up to a strange machine that monitored her heart rate. Her friends arrived within a few minutes, along with Rumplestiltskin, Annabeth, Baelfire, and Tamara. Rumplestiltskin looked furious. Emma told him about Merlin attacking her and Killian in the mines.

"What were you doing in the mines? Why would she go there?"

"I'd like to know that myself" said David, looking at Killian.

Killian glared. He was not going to be pushed around by the prince for a second time. Marissa defended him, telling David that he would not hurt Aria.

"She found something from her mother about the curse. It led her to the mines. Merlin was attempting to get past some wall but Aria beat him to it"

Rumplestiltskin opened the door. "Gold, wait. Dr. Whale said"

"I will do as I please, Miss Swan. I am the only one allowed in this room…until Aria wakes up"

"You can't"

He slammed the door in her face. "Emma, it'll be fine. My dad will help" said Baelfire.

They waited outside the room. Killian ran his fingers through his hair. Annabeth walked over to him. Their first meeting did not yield the best impression.

"Thank you…for keeping her safe. I should have known that Merlin would pull a stunt like this. After Morgan's death, he tried to take Aria from the village. He claimed that Morgan asked him to care for her but I knew it was a lie. She thought that Merlin gave up her location to Arthur's knights"

"Well he's trapped in the mines for now"

"He used to be such an innocent boy. Magic corrupted him. He had heard rumors of what Rumplestiltskin could do and wouldn't stop until he could push those limits"

Killian watched the door, hoping for Aria to recover…

* * *

**A/N: So I didn't want to make Merlin purely good or evil. He's a very gray character like other villains on Once. His actions are all to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin, who took Merlin away from his home and who he blames for the death of Aria's mother. What Aria says about her mother applies to Merlin. She tells Killian how her mother thought it was not the path chosen but what a person did with it. Even though Merlin practices light magic, he is still capable of terrible deeds yet sees himself as doing them for the good of the community. Similar to Killian was before, he is so focused on getting this revenge on Rumplestiltskin that he does not care who he has to hurt, even if it is Aria, the daughter of a close friend. Another interesting point is how Aria views her mother compared to others. Killian notes that she has a very skewed opinion of her mother, where she justifies her actions, while he knows that Morgan was not a good person. Their differing opinions is what makes Aria hopeful that her mother's information would help her and Killian wants her to be more cautious.  
**

**Thanks for reading :)  
**


	29. Merlin's Scheme

-Two days later- Aria's eyes fluttered open. She felt very groggy. As she glanced around, she found herself in a hospital room. The events in the mines were mostly a blur. She could not remember anything past putting her hand through the wall. After that, her mind is blank. She worried that either Merlin attacked her or her mother was playing some kind of trick. Killian had warned her to be cautious of her mother's intentions. She ignored him, trusting that the hidden note had been planted to help Aria with her curse. There was no number in the middle of the intertwining circles on her hand. She felt much stronger than usual. A large amount of power was coursing through her. Her father slept in a chair beside the bed. Sitting up, she touched his eyes popped open and he looked relieved to see her awake. He embraced her.

"Aria, thank goodness. I didn't think you would ever wake up"

"How long was I out?"

"Two days. Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"I'm fine, Dad. I'm just a little tired. I don't remember that much"

"What were you doing in the mines with _him_?"

"You know what? I am thirsty"

She jumped out of bed. Grabbing a glass, she poured herself some water. Her father stared at her. She waited for him to look at something else. Avoiding eye contact, she drank multiple glasses of water.

"Aria, look at me"

She turned to him. "Dad, it's not what you think"

"Are you involved with that—mutt?"

"First of all, we are not involved. It's just—it's a little complicated"

"He almost killed me. If I hadn't used that candle, I would be dead"

"I know that but you really have no right to judge anyone. You didn't kill Milah because you didn't like the dress she was wearing. It was out of revenge but there's still good in you. Ki—Hook is no different. He's not a monster"

"Aria, you can't be this naïve. He"

The room shook violently. Aria held onto the edge of the bed. Her father told her to wait in the room, thinking it could be Regina attacking the hospital. As he left the room, she sat on the bed. She reached into a bottom drawer of a supply cabinet, finding a hidden stash of candy. Swinging her legs back and forth, she bit into a chocolate bar. The door opened and Devon, Jane, Marissa, and Killian entered the room. Marissa and Jane hugged her tightly.

"Aria, we were so worried. Your dad wouldn't even let us in the room to see you" said Jane.

"I'm fine. My memory's a little hazy but I'm good. What's going on out there?"

"They think it's Regina. She's not letting up on the whole _Snow must die_ thing"

"She's probably just making this big threat that she won't follow up on because she knows she'll lose" said Devon.

They filled in the gaps in her memory. After she had placed her hand in the wall, it had closed on her. Merlin found her and Killian in the mines and went ballistic. Before he could harm them, Aria put up a shield to trap him. He was still stuck there, unable to remove the enchantment. Devon remarked that the days for the curse had ended. She questioned if anyone died while she was in her comatose state. They told her that Snow had found August hiding in a trailer in the woods. He was completely wooden. When she, Emma, and Gepetto searched for him, Emma got a call from him at the sheriff's station. They found him dying and the Blue Fairy turned him back into a little boy. She doubted that Regina would harm him.

"Why did no one die from your curse?"

"That's why I went to the mines. Whatever was behind that wall…it helped deflect the curse. I got to choose both and everyone would be fine"

"There has to be a catch" said Killian, suspiciously.

"Nope"

"Did she tell you what would be behind that wall?"

"I think it was magic…a lot of it. It explains why Merlin wanted to get behind the wall so badly. If he got a magic boost, it could have been enough to make him stronger than my dad"

The room shook again, knocking things off of the shelves. She noticed a gust of silver smoke pass through the corridors. Devon opened the door. It was oddly quiet. They left the room. She warned them that it had to be Merlin, able to see his magical trace from the smoke. Devon assured her that Merlin did not leave the mines. They had lookouts stationed at the entrance as a precaution. She suggested that he could have manipulated them to do his work for him. As she entered the waiting room, she bumped into a small boy.

"Oh, I'm sor"

Her eyes widened. He had short dirtyblonde hair and wore an oversized lab coat. In his hand was a glass of whiskey. Jane covered her mouth.

"Please tell me that's not who I think it is…" said Marissa.

"Hi. What's your name?"

He smiled. "Victor. Do you want some apple juice?"

Jane whimpered. Looking around the waiting room, she saw miniature versions of other Storybrooke residents, including Emma, Neal, David, Tamara, and her father, ranging from two years old to six years old. The smoke must have had some kind of enchantment. It turned all of the adults into children. Victor raised the glass. Aria grabbed it and downed the whiskey.

"Hey! That was mine!"

"I'll get you some more. Can you go sit down?"

He sat in a chair next to Ruby. She waved at him. Using magic on her compact mirror, she had a view outside the hospital and realized that the enchantment affected the entire town.

"This is really bad"

"Is Merlin just pulling one big joke?"

Killian crossed his arms. "He wanted it to affect you, Aria. If you were younger, your magic would be weakened and that would make it easier to remove the enchantment in the mines. What do we do?"

"We get all of the kids together. Maybe I can find a way to reverse it"

Devon gathered all of the children in the hospital. Aria waved her hand. A series of little wagons connected, resembling a train. The kids jumped into the wagons. Emma clapped her hands.

"Choo choo!"

"This is going to be a nightmare. It would've been better to just kill us with a spell"

She used magic to make the wagons move. As they passed through the town, they grabbed more of the adults. They reached her house. Henry and his classmates were waiting outside with miniature versions of Snow, Regina, and a few other residents.

"Aria, something happened. They all turned into"

"I know, Henry. We got the rest of them. Let's just go inside"

Aria let them into the house. She grabbed her mother's spellbook from her bedroom. The kids were running around the living room, playing with each other. Snow kissed David's cheek. He panicked about her cooties. Aria looked through the spellbook. Nothing matched this spell cast on the town. She assumed it was one of Merlin's own creation. Someone tugged on her skirt. Looking down, she saw Regina.

"Potty"

"You need to use the bathroom?"

"I um think she already went" said Paige.

She pointed at a wet spot on the carpet. Aria was about to hit her. Killian kept her back, holding her arms.

"Aria, you can't hit her. She's a child"

Aria bent down to her. She smacked her hand lightly.

"Very bad girl. We do not—do that on the carpet"

Regina giggled into her hands. "Even as a two year old, she's a bitch" muttered Marissa.

"Go sit in the corner. You're in trouble" said Killian.

She pouted. "But"

"Do not make me count to three. One"

"You're a meanie!"

Regina stamped her foot and sat in the corner. A few of the kids mocked her. Aria was glad that she could not use magic. Henry got the kids to calm down by putting on cartoons and giving them snacks. Devon closed the book.

"No aging spells. It would take forever to look in your dad's old books. If Merlin made one up, maybe you can do it too"

"I can try it. You have to be really specific or the spell can go wrong"

She grabbed a candy bar from her pocket. "Candy brings lot of cheers. When they gobble it up, add some years"

The candy glowed for a few seconds. She broke it off into pieces, giving it to a few kids. As they ate it, they turned back into their old selves.

"Ha, take that, Mer"

Ruby touched her face. "Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have a zit?"

Neal put his arm around Emma. "You're cute. Want to make out? My girlfriend doesn't have to know"

"Get your hands off my man" snarled Tamara.

"Well they're older…they're just teenagers. I think this is worse" said Jane.

Aria groaned. Merlin was making this difficult. Neal led Emma towards the closet.

"Hey! Stay out of there!"

"You're not the boss of me!"

"You're like so lame. I can't wait to get out of this house so I can live my own life. You don't know what it's like to be my age" said Emma.

"Sit down"

"Shut up, old man"

Killian glared. The spell reversed, turning them back into children. Emma pushed Neal to the floor. He sniffled, holding his elbow.

"She gave me an owie"

"That's it. We're going to see Merlin"

Devon put Henry and Paige in charge of watching the children. Henry agreed to call Aria if things got worse. Shrinking the spellbook, she put it in her coat. They headed down to the mines. Merlin was throwing rocks against the wall. He sighed.

"Foolish boy. You give one task and they can't do it correctly. How did you escape the spell?"

"The door was closed. How do we reverse it?"

"You think I would tell you that? I am interested in who died because of your curse. Who lost their life for you?"

"No one. That's why my mother led me down here. I ruined both of your plans to kill my father. So tell me how to fix the adults"

"I have a different idea"

He walked away from the invisible shield. Reaching behind a crevice, he pulled out Alec. His lip was bleeding. He panted heavily, barely able to stand. Merlin dragged him over to them.

"You let down the shield and I'll give you the potion that reverses my little spell"

"Like I would trust you"

"I suppose your father hasn't taught you a certain kind of magic. It's considered a bit dark. Just by mere touch, I can take all of the energy out of Alec and soon enough, he'll be a corpse. So either you do as I ask or he dies"

"Go ahead"

She glared at Devon. No one was going to die. Alec had no part in this feud between her and Merlin. Devon argued that he deserved it for all the trouble he caused both in the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. Marissa and Jane did not agree with him.

"It's four against one. That is not happening"

Killian was silent. She glared.

"Aria, you can't let Merlin out of there. Alec is one of Regina's men. He can't be trusted. It's a small price to pay to ensure there aren't two revenge-driven people with magic in Storybrooke. If you let him go, he could team up with Regina"

"I don't care. We'll just make him tell us the ingredients to the potion"

"You'll never get that information from him"

"Watch me"

Aria conjured a cup of soda. She walked over to Merlin. Alec was laying on his stomach while Merlin pressed his face into the dirt with his shoe.

"I don't need to let you out. I already have the potion. I was just messing with you"

He scoffed. "That's impossible. You couldn't get the viper venom that quickly"

Marissa stepped on Devon's foot to keep him quiet. Aria shrugged.

"The venom was obvious"

"And the dragon tears? Can't get that in this world"

"You are so right, Merlin. You are clearly better at magic than me. This is hopeless"

"I suggest you reconsider my offer. Lower the enchantment or he dies. While you make your decision, I'll spend some quality time with Alec here. I'd hurry before I drain him completely"

They left the mines. Aria brought them into the antiques shop. She opened a cabinet, finding a box of ingredients. Putting it on the counter, she looked at the different vials.

"Aria, we can't make it. Dragons don't exist here. Dragon tears were nearly impossible to get back home" said Devon.

"Do you remember when we were six and followed James and his friend out to that cave in the mountains then you were too scared to go inside so you stopped me from checking it out?"

"I was six and he said there was a three-headed dragon in that cave"

"Well I snuck out later that night. The dragon only had one head and it was super old. James had jabbed it with a sword as some kind of sadistic joke. I healed it and collected its tears in a vial. I hid the vial in a secret compartment of my father's ingredients box"

She tapped the bottom of the box. Another compartment was revealed, containing a single vial with clear liquid. It took her almost an hour to complete the potion. Once she made enough for all of the adults, they left the shop. She gave the potion to Devon. While he headed for her house, she, Marissa, Jane, and Killian returned to the mines. Alec was coughing up blood. He held his side in pain.

"Aria, you're back. Have you made a decision? Are you going to be the hero and save poor little Alec or let him die? I must say I can see reasons to choose either one"

"I'm going to lift the shield"

"What?!" her friends shouted.

"Aria, no way. I don't want Alec to die either but if it means keeping this psycho locked up, we have to let it happen" said Marissa.

Killian pulled her aside. Merlin was watching her.

"You can't do this. I know you want to save Alec. Sometimes, we need to make tough decisions. If you let Merlin go, it's putting the entire town at risk, including yourself. Merlin will kill you. You have to let Alec die to keep the others safe. I know it's hard but there's no other option"

"You need to trust me. I'm doing exactly what Merlin wants. I think you keep forgetting who my parents are…"

He looked at her, confused. She went over to the shield. Merlin smirked. She waved her hand.

"It's down"

"Alec can go first. I'd like to test it in case you put another spell to burn me alive as soon as I pass the shield"

Reluctantly, Alec walked towards them. Jane held onto him, giving him bottled water from her bag. As Merlin stepped forward, Aria moved in front of him. The shield reformed between them. He snarled.

"We had a deal"

"Your words were to let down the shield and I did. You never said it had to be lowered to let you out, Merlin. As my father says when he makes his deals, intent is everything. He always stresses to be very specific"

"Aria, you need me"

"You are the last person I need"

"I can help you find your mother. She isn't dead. She feigned her death. I had warned her that Arthur found the village and she did a protection spell. Once he thought she was dead, she escaped, putting a duplicate in her place. She used magic to create a weak portal and went to another land"

He had a serious expression on his face. She read his thoughts to see if he was lying.

"Aria, it's a trick. He'll say anything to get out of here" said Marissa.

"I swear it is not a lie. We can do this together"

The enchantment was lifted again. She reached into his chest and pulled out his heart. He winced when she squeezed it. She crushed it into dust. He crumpled to the ground. She left the mines. Killian followed her.

"Aria"

"There was a price for deflecting the curse. The curse kills someone indirectly. If I wanted to be able to choose both, I had to kill someone by own hand. I'm glad it was him"

"Stop walking and talk to me"

"I don't want to talk"

He grabbed her waist, turning her towards him. She struggled against his grip.

"Let go of me"

"You need to talk. You didn't just kill Merlin to fill some debt to a curse"

"What is there to talk about, Killian? My dead mother who is now magically alive? The woman who has been alive for all these years and could've taken me with her through that portal but she left me. She's alive but she never came back to check on me…even with Arthur gone. That's how much I mean to her. She abandoned me. She is dead to me"

Tears filled her eyes. "Practically everyone back home hated my father. He was the evil one…but he cared about me more than she ever did in her life. Even when I couldn't live with him, he was still there for me all the time. Maybe I wasn't good enough for her. Maybe she just threw me to Annabeth to get rid of any responsibilities as a mother"

He cupped her cheek. She blinked back tears.

"Tell me how to make you feel better"

"I just really want to eat ice cream until I puke"

Killian chuckled. "Well I don't want you to get sick but we can eat ice cream"

They walked towards her house. "On the bright side, Merlin is no longer a problem"

"Now we just have to deal with Greg. Compared to a psychotic wizard, he should be easy"

People were leaving her house, looking disoriented. She felt relieved that the potion had reversed Merlin's spell. Jane sent her a text, telling her that she and Marissa were returning Alec to his apartment. Devon gave cups of juice to the children. As they drank it, they returned to their normal selves. Henry told her that they made up a story for Greg, claiming that Aria threw a party and the adults got very drunk.

"What the hell happened?" asked Emma, rubbing her head.

"Merlin turned all of you into kids"

"What?"

"Yea, it was not fun"

Regina was straightening out her dress. "I can hit her now, right? She's not little anymore" whispered Aria.

Killian nodded. Aria pushed her hand aside. Regina slammed into the wall. She stood up, angrily.

"That's for pissing on my carpet. You're buying me a new one"

With Henry in the room, Regina would not do anything. She sneered and left the house. Devon questioned what happened in the mines.

"Merlin's dead"

"How?"

"I killed him"

She looked at Killian. "He was about to attack us and my hook was useful"

As they walked out, with Henry teasing about their childish behavior, Annabeth went over to Aria.

"I'm going to go over to a friend's home tonight. He can stay…if you two stay decent. Do not let me catch you in bed again" she whispered.

Aria hugged her. "You'll always be my mother"

Annabeth smiled and kissed her forehead. She left the house.

"You didn't have to lie about Merlin's death"

"The circumstances don't matter. No one has to know what happened down there"

Aria kissed his cheek. She brought him into the kitchen. They spent the night eating ice cream and watching television…

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I had so much to do with school and work. Every week, I was doing papers and presentations. Now that it's calmed down a bit before finals start, I will update more frequently. **


	30. Aria's Birthday

-A week later- Aria was getting dressed for work at the hospital. She trudged around her room, sleepily. As she tied her hair up into a ponytail, she failed at stifling a few yawns. Outside, the sun was barely visible by the docks. She regretted taking early shifts at the hospital, knowing that she was rarely a morning person. If she had the choice, she would be sleeping until the middle of the afternoon. Annabeth was catching up with an old friend from their village in the Enchanted Forest, meaning that Aria had the house to herself. She grabbed her purse and left the house. As she locked the door, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against it, attempting to get a few more minutes of sleep.

"Tired?"

Lifting her head, she turned around and feigned a smile at Greg. Lately, he had gotten clingy. Their little dinner date meant much more to him than it did to her. When Annabeth heard about her scheming, she chastised Aria for toying with his emotions. Aria played along, pretending to have an interest in him. She was wary to trust him, aware that he had his secrets. Her goal was to get him to open up to her about his true intentions in Storybrooke. She had no luck in discovering who this _Her_ was in his phone. When Devon called the number, a monotone voice told them that it had been disconnected.

"No, I'm just not an early bird. I probably should have thought of that when Victor, Alicia, and I decided on our shifts"

"I'm not a morning person myself"

"And yet you look way more awake than me. What are you doing near here? The inn is on the other side of town"

"I was getting some exercise. Lucky me that I ran into you. Where are you headed?"

"Granny's. I need coffee in me before I do any major surgery"

Greg chuckled. She walked with him to the diner, having a casual conversation. He glanced at his phone. She snuck a peek, seeing a number with no contact name.

"Am I boring you, Greg?"

"Of course not. It was just a friend from back home"

"You've been here for a while now. Don't you have a job?"

"I had a lot of vacation time. It's not the most exciting job in the world"

"What do you do? You've never told me"

"Oh, I um…computer stuff. Like I said, not that exciting"

Aria nodded, seeing through his lie. They stopped in front of the diner.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?"

"How could I turn you down?"

"Great. Meet me at the hospital at noon"

She pressed her lips against his cheek. His pale cheeks reddened. He gave her a sheepish smile. She brushed her fingers against his arm.

"It'll be really special…just the two of us" she said, flirtatiously.

"I wouldn't want anything else"

"Aria"

Neal, Tamara, and Henry walked over to them. Henry was holding his fairytale book. He looked between Aria and Greg, suspiciously. For such a young kid, Henry was very perceptive. She crinkled her nose slightly. Over the course of their friendship, they developed a secret code. It allowed one of them to know when the other was doing something sneaky, such as Henry searching for his birth mother. Crinkling her nose meant he had to keep quiet. He blinked twice as a sign that he understood her.

"Hey. Greg, you already know Henry. This is my brother Neal and his fiancéeTamara. Neal is also Henry's dad"

Neal shook his hand. "Nice to meet you"

"You too. You two make a lovely couple" replied Greg, looking at him and Tamara.

Aria heard a strange tone in his voice. To her, it sounded like envy.

"I'll meet you at noon, Aria"

Greg continued down the street towards the inn. Neal crossed his arms.

"Is uh something going on between you two?"

"It's none of your business"

"I've seen you together a few times. He definitely likes you"

"Everyone likes me. Besides, I only have room in my heart for one handsome man…and that's Henry"

Aria ruffled Henry's hair. He smiled. Neal shook his head at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Aria noticed Tamara's eyes narrow slightly. Aria looked at a key in her hand. A tag hanging from it read _Go! Trailer Rentals_.

"You're renting a trailer? You know, if the room at the inn is too small, you can get an apartment. There's vacancies where Marissa and Jane live"

"She needed to get her work stuff from back in Manhattan. It's just some computers"

"Computers? That's so funny. Greg works with computers too"

"Small world" said Tamara, her smile not reaching her eyes.

They entered the diner. Devon and Jane were at their usual table. They waved at Aria. She ordered a coffee and sat with them.

"Devon, you know you don't still need to volunteer, right?"

"I don't like leaving you alone, especially after all that's been going on with Merlin and Regina's rapid descent into insanity"

Ruby brought over her coffee, along with a cupcake. "Happy birthday!"

"Ruby"

"Oh don't be a downer. I don't get why you hate celebrating birthdays so much"

Aria did not get excited as her birthday neared each year. It was all due to bad memories from the Enchanted Forest. When she was turning five, James decided to pull a cruel prank on her. During the week leading up to her birthday, she received letters from someone claiming to be her father. Aria gained false hope, believing she would get to see him after years of being apart. James had been the one to send her the letters and he tricked her into entering a cave near the castle. He and his friends proceeded to cover her in some foul-smelling liquid and knocked her into a pool of mud. Another bad birthday incident was due to Regina on her tenth birthday. It led her to believe that her birthday was cursed.

Ever since then, she hated celebrating her birthday. Her friends insisted on taking her to the _Rabbit Hole_ tonight. Aria bit into the cupcake.

"It's cursed"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Aria, stop it. Those happened ages ago. We need some fun. Is a certain someone going to come?"

She and Ruby giggled like two gossiping schoolgirls. Devon stared at Aria, waiting for her answer.

"Oh grow up. I can ask Killian if he wants to go. I doubt he'll want to if you keep acting like that"

"What's going on between you two?" asked Devon.

"Nothing. We're friends"

"Guys like that aren't just friends with a girl"

"Devon, why are you still being so paranoid about him? He's not some evil monster. He helped us with Merlin. Give him a chance. I think you two would get along"

"When hell freezes over" he muttered.

Aria was confused by his attitude. "At least be nice to him tonight for my birthday. It wouldn't kill you"

The girls began to discuss their plans for tonight. Neal walked over to the table.

"Hey, are you busy tonight? I was thinking you could have dinner with me and Tamara. You should get to know her"

"I can't"

"Why not?"

"Because, and let me be very clear…I don't want to know her. Besides, we're hanging out at the bar"

"Great. We'll meet you there"

"No, I don't" she started.

"Can't wait"

He gave her a one-armed hug and left the diner with Tamara and Henry. She watched them through the windows. Once they disappeared from view, she turned to her friends. She told them about Tamara's suspicious behavior and the trailer rental.

"We're going to spy on her tonight"

"How?" asked Devon.

From her coat pocket, she took out Tamara's phone. "Took it when we were going into the diner. According to a message to a blocked number, that trailer comes in a half-hour before we're going to the bar"

After a quick breakfast, she and Devon headed to the hospital. Her shift did not involve much work. Between giving checkups to a few kids and assuring a woman that her cold was not life-threatening, she spent time in her office with Devon. They were tossing a small plush ball back and forth.

"So you think Greg and Tamara know each other?"

"They were both being weird. He looked jealous when he saw Neal with her and both of them supposedly work with computers…"

"Coincidence?"

"Doubt it. When I asked him about his job, he made it up on the spot. I'm going to use this lunch to get information out of him"

"Your clothes are staying on, right?"

She chucked the ball at his head. He caught it, laughing. She checked the clock on the wall. Seeing that it was almost noon, she left the office for her lunch break. Near the entrance, she saw Killian repeatedly moving towards the sliding doors, watching them open and close. She suppressed a laugh.

"What are you doing?"

"Attempting to figure out how the doors open by themselves. It seems to be this black mat. When I step on it, the door opens"

"It's n"

Killian looked at her. He was having the toughest time adjusting to this new world. Everyone else got used to it over the past 28 years.

"You're right. It's the mat. Who knew pirates were so smart? Why are you here?"

"Not many places to go, are there? Are you finished working?"

"No. I'm on a break. I'm meeting Greg to trick him into telling me why he's here"

His eyes darkened at the mention of Greg's name. Like Annabeth, he disapproved of her spending time with him. She decided to change the subject.

"So um it's my birthday today. My friends are forcing me to go to the bar to celebrate. You could come too. It'll be fun…well it was supposed to be but Neal's coming with Tamara"

"You need to be civil with her"

"That's not fair. I don't make you hang out with my dad and do…whatever he thinks is fun"

"It's different. He's not going to be my family yet"

Aria's eyes widened. She thought that she had heard him wrong.

"What?"

"What?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You said yet"

He scoffed. His eyes darted to the side, focusing on some random hospital sign.

"You're hearing things. It must be all this work"

"But I heard you say"

"So it's your birthday. I'll come to the bar. Someone needs to keep you from making rude comments to Tamara" he said, quickly interrupting her.

She got distracted seeing Greg. Killian was avoiding direct eye contact with her. Giving him a small wave, she went over to Greg. She led him into the woods. Behind her back, she waved her hand, making a blanket and picnic basket appear in a small clearing.

"Where did that come from?" he asked, surprised.

"Small confession. I had this planned ahead of time. I was just waiting for the right moment to ask you to have lunch with me" she lied.

"You are really something"

They sat on the blanket together. Aria put on her usual act with Greg, being sweet and flirtatious. As they ate, she made small talk. She used wine to better her chances of learning his secrets. He glanced around the clearing, a gleam of sadness in his eyes.

"Is my food that bad?"

"No. It's—great. Everything is great"

"Can I be honest with you? I just…this is going to sound stupid but I've had bad luck with guys in the past. I start falling for them and then they hurt me. I really like you, Greg. You treat me so differently, like I'm special"

"You are special. You're amazing and beautiful, Aria"

"I want to believe you when you say things like that but I get this feeling that you're not being truly honest with me"

She rested her hand over his, lacing their fingers. "I don't want you to turn out to be like those other guys"

Greg cupped her cheek. He sighed.

"I'm not like them. I haven't been completely honest with you but it's only because I don't want you to get involved and possibly killed"

"Killed? What do you mean?"

"This isn't my first time in Storybrooke. I was here 28 years ago with my father. My name was Owen"

Greg told her what had happened in his past. When Storybrooke first arrived, he was camping in this clearing with his father. They met Regina, who treated them kindly and even made them dinner. Regina attempted to keep them here because she wanted to be a mother to Greg. The situation got out of hand and ended up with Greg's father being arrested by Graham. Greg got away from the town but when he brought cops to help his father, the town seemingly disappeared. Once he was an adult, he kept driving to this area to find the town again. He was staying in Storybrooke to find his father.

"Regina knows where he is and…it just doesn't make sense. She looks exactly the same"

"She has a really good plastic surgeon. Greg, I know you want to find him but you can't mess with Regina"

"I'm not afraid of her. She's going to get what she deserves"

Aria sensed that this was not the entire truth. Though she sympathized with Greg's situation, part of her worried about Regina. The way Greg spoke about her, he sounded ready to murder her with his bare hands.

"I promise not to tell anyone. I'm glad you could trust me"

When she returned to the hospital, she told Devon about Greg's father. He vaguely remembered seeing a boy and his father when they were under the curse. Both of them assumed that the boy had been Greg.

For the rest of the day, Aria continued to think about Greg and his story. She was sure that he had other motives for being in Storybrooke. If he only wanted to find his father, he could have asked people around town if they knew him or reported Regina to Emma at the sheriff's station. She had a feeling that Tamara played some role in his visit to the town. Once she had gotten dressed for the bar, she had her friends meet at the docks. Killian was sitting on a bench, staring out into the sea. He appeared to be deep in thought. She sat beside him.

"You don't look very thrilled"

"Something bad always seems to happen when it's my birthday"

"Not tonight. I promise you that. Do you want your present now?"

"You didn't have to get me anything"

He took off one of his rings and put it on her ring finger. The ring was a sterling silver with a red gemstone and markings on the sides.

"I got it in Neverland when I first became a pirate. A sea witch gave it to me for helping her with a little mermaid problem

"I can't take this"

"Yes, you can. It's your birthday gift. It's enchanted"

"How?"

Before he could explain, her friends arrived at the docks. The girls hugged her, happily. Marissa warned Killian that things could get crazy when drinking with them. Aria waved her hand. A ball of light formed in her palm. Whispering Tamara's name, she watched it rise into the air and fly through the town. She touched the ground. A glowing golden line appeared, making a path. They followed it to the town line. Hiding behind a few trees, they waited for Tamara. Aria used magic to make them invisible.

A car pulled up to the town line. As the door opened, she saw Greg. Killian wrapped his arm around Aria's waist to prevent her from doing anything rash. Another car drove into town with a larger trailer attached to the back. Tamara got out of the car. Greg smiled.

"Hey beautiful"

Aria scrunched her nose in disgust when he kissed her. "Gross. They don't just know each other. They're together"

Killian tightened his grip on her waist. "Aria, don't"

"I told you she was shady. She's cheating on my brother"

"We don't know anything. Just wait"

Tamara opened the back of the trailer. Aria waved her hand, using a spell to freeze them in place. She stepped into the trailer. It was filled with cardboard boxes and steel cases. The boxes contained computers and other machines. Some boxes had sheets of paper about a home office. Devon looked at a machine with multiple knobs and wires.

"What is this?"

"It's to shock someone. See the voltage meter? You attach the wires and the person gets an electric shock"

"Why would they have that?" asked Ruby.

"Well it's not for party games"

Her spell began to wear off on Greg and Tamara. She quickly transported them to the bar.

"It's your birthday. Let's hold off on trying to figure out what they're planning until tomorrow…please?" said Jane.

Aria nodded. To distract herself, she went up to the bartender named Drew to get drinks. He gave her liquor bottles and a tray of shot glasses, wishing her a happy birthday.

"You like whiskey too?"

To her left, she saw Belle. She was dressed very differently, wearing tight-fitting clothes that showed off her body. There was a glass of whiskey in her hand.

"Belle?"

She smiled. "I must really look like this Belle person. This man Mr. Gold thinks I'm her too. My name's Lacey"

"I'm…Aria. It's nice to meet you"

"You were one of the doctors in the hospital that helped me. I remember you"

"I'm glad you're feeling better"

Aria returned to her friends. She told them about Belle's weird behavior. It appeared that this Lacey was her cursed persona. She had a feeling that Regina was involved in this mess. Her friends made her take multiple shots. After an hour, she was starting to get tipsy. Aria leaned her head on Killian's shoulder. She tensed up, seeing Neal and Tamara enter the bar.

"Remember to be nice"

"I'll be nice if she is…"

They walked over to their table. Neal hugged her.

"Hey birthday girl. We got you something"

He handed her a small jewelry box that contained earrings. Though Aria was nice to Tamara, she was calling her every curse word imaginable in her mind. Aria found it strange that Tamara brought up her ability to do magic.

"Why do you care about my magic?"

Killian kicked her leg under the table. Tamara shrugged.

"I'm just curious. It's rare in this world. Were you born with it or did your father teach you?"

"Born with it. It's really rare. It usually only happens when both your parents are magical"

"Oh, so who's your mother?"

"If we're playing twenty questions, I should get to ask you a few"

"Aria" hissed Killian.

She finished the bottle of tequila. He forced her over to the bar to get more drinks.

"This isn't the time to interrogate her"

"Why not? She's planning something"

"And we'll find out what that is when you're not drunk"

"Aria?"

Her father and David walked over to the counter. Seeing Killian, they glared. To prevent any sort of fight, she told them about Belle. Her father confirmed that it was caused by Regina. He came to the bar to help jog her memory.

"Why are you here?"

"For my birthday, duh. Devon and Tristan are doing impressions. Devon's impression of Regina is hilarious. We ran out of tequila"

"Aria, can I speak with you privately?" he whispered.

"Why are we whispering?" she whispered back.

"Come outside"

"No. I need more tequila so I don't say anything bad about Tamara. She's a shady little bitch. Drew!"

Drew walked over to them. He gave her another bottle. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He blushed.

"You are so cute and nice. You're the best person ever"

"Aria, let's go" said Killian, grabbing her arm.

"Get your hand off my daughter" sneered her father.

She poked her father's nose. "Don't be mean, Daddy. He's my friend"

"Aria"

"It's my birthday. You can't fight. Be good…or I'll be sad"

Aria returned to the table. Devon and Tristan continued their impressions. For the first time, there was no drama on her birthday. She almost fell off of her chair. Neal kept her from hitting the floor. Killian offered to get her some water. Neal took the bottle of tequila away from her.

"I think you've had enough for tonight"

"Can I tell you something?"

"What's wrong?"

"It's about"

She heard loud yelling. Her eyes went to the bar. Killian had a tight grip on her father's shirt. Her father's nose was bleeding. David attempted to separate them. Aria stumbled over to the bar. She pushed them apart with magic. Both of them had furious expressions on their faces. Not saying a word, she headed back to her house. She slammed the door and slid down to the floor. Someone knocked on the door.

"Aria"

"Go away!"

"Let me explain"

"You hurt my dad!"

"He provoked me! He did it on purpose! Open the door"

She opened the door. Only a small part of her face was visible.

"This is just like Manhattan. All you do is lie"

Aria took the ring off of her finger. She chucked it at the ground.

"I don't want your stupid ring"

"Aria, please let me in" he said, sounding desperate.

"No. You'll never change. Everyone's right about you. You're just a dirty, manipulative pirate who only cares about himself"

His eyes were shining with tears. He stepped closer to the door. A tiny piece of her mind nagged at her, telling her to give him a chance. She ignored it, not trusting him.

"That isn't true. Just talk to me"

"I'm busy on all days that end in y, sorry"

"Then you can talk to me _tomorrow_"

She glared harshly. "Don't be a smart-ass. I'm not talking to you anymore"

Aria shut the door. She could still feel his presence.

"You're right about one thing. I am a pirate, which means I don't give up without a fight. I am not a coward like your father. He's the manipulative one. I am not going to let him win. I'll do whatever it takes for you to forgive me"

After waiting a few minutes, she opened the door. The ring was on the porch. She picked it up, twirling it between her fingers. Going up to her room, she laid down on her bed and stared at the ring…


	31. The Outsiders

-Two days later- Aria had not left her house since the night of her birthday. She used her days off of work as an advantage to spend all of her time in bed. The events at the bar kept replaying in her mind. She could see the murderous look in Killian's eyes as he grabbed her father roughly by his shirt collar. In her head, she knew that her father was partially responsible for the beating. He despised Killian and did not want him anywhere near Aria. She would not put it past him to provoke Killian to start a fight. It made her wonder what her father said to anger him. The only other time she had seen Killian that furious was during their first meeting in the Enchanted Forest, when she stopped him from finding the dagger. Though she wanted to go to his ship to talk to him, she stopped herself, thinking it would be a hopeless case. The bar incident led her to consider that Killian could never let go of his desire for revenge.

Aria was curled up in bed, staring at the wall. She glanced at his ring on her hand. Despite being frustrated with him, she decided to keep it. The door swung open and Devon entered the room. He crossed his arms.

"Are you seriously still in bed?"

"Go away. I don't have work. If I want to spend the day in bed, I can"

Devon sat beside her, his eyes filled with worry. She hid her face under the blanket. He pulled on her leg, dragging her slowly out of bed. Aria ended up on the floor, still tangled up in the blanket. She pouted.

"Devon!"

Devon lifted her up, cradling her like a baby. He was attempting to get her to smile or laugh, something she had not done in the past two days.

"Aria, come on. Your birthday was supposed to be a fun night"

"You know it's always a disaster. This is exactly why I didn't want to go out. Look at what happened"

"The problem is between Hook and your father. Maybe your father provoked him, maybe not. Even if he did, he should have been the bigger person and ignored it. Do you know how many times Alec has pushed me around? Do I break his nose? No. I just walk away"

"I don't even know what he could've said"

"It doesn't matter what he said, Aria. I know you want to see the best in him but honestly, some people can't change. I think he only cares about killing your father and he was using you, pretending to be nice, as a way to get closer to him. You want so badly to believe that he's a good person that you don't see what's right in front of you"

Aria stared at Devon, not saying a word. She was unsure if he was right about the situation. From the start, he hated Killian. He never gave him a real chance. Devon was one of her closest friends, always looking out for her. Being so protective, he could not look past Killian's pirate persona. He urged her to leave the house to spend the day with him. Seeing that it was a losing battle, she agreed, not wanting to mope anymore. She promised to meet him at the park. Once he left, she started to get dressed. She was still in her outfit from the night at the bar. After changing her outfit, she went into the bathroom to wash her face. As she brushed her hair, she heard a knock at the door. She went upstairs, tying her hair up in a ponytail.

Opening the door, she saw Tamara. She was surprised to see her without Neal. Tamara smiled.

"Hi Aria. Are you doing okay? I haven't seen you since your birthday"

"Yea, I'm just enjoying my days off from work"

"My phone just died. Do you think I could borrow yours? I wanted to call Neal to tell him that I'm going for a run and it's a little silly to go all the way back to the inn"

"Yea, sure. Come inside"

Aria went back to her room. She grabbed her phone off of her dresser. Suddenly, something blunt struck the side of her head. Everything went black as she fell to the floor…

~Killian~

Killian was standing in the cannery, a disheveled building that smelled strongly of fish. Tamara and Greg had been using it as a base for their secret operations. After Killian left Aria's house, dejected about their fight and enraged at Rumplestiltskin, he got cornered by them near the docks. Greg wanted his help in finding his father, who had been taken by Regina 28 years ago. In return, they would help get rid of Rumplestiltskin, claiming to have methods to kill magical beings. Killian was so desperate to have Aria back that he agreed to their arrangement. If Rumplestiltskin was dead, he could no longer interfere with their relationship. The crocodile had too strong of a hold on her. Killian understood that they were family but Rumplestiltskin was willing to manipulate her for his own purposes.

To fuel his anger, he thought of the night at the bar. Killian had gone to the counter to ask for a glass of water for Aria, who drank a bit too much liquor to keep herself from insulting Tamara. Rumplestiltskin instigated him, calling him pathetic and claiming that Aria was a mere substitute for Milah. Killian could see similarities between them but it did not affect his feelings for Aria. She had this magnetic hold on him unlike Milah. Rumplestiltskin told him that he saw through his scheme to use Aria as a pawn in his plot for revenge. Killian did his best to ignore him, not wanting to ruin Aria's birthday. His last bit of patience weared off when Rumplestiltskin insisted that Killian stay away from Aria or he would create a portal and send her to another land. He showed little reluctance in sending his daughter to a strange world by herself. It angered Killian, reminding him of when he spoke with a young Baelfire about being abandoned by the same man. His threat simply proved that Rumplestiltskin had not changed in hundreds of years, not even for his children.

Killian aided in the capture of Regina after she brought him into the library. She was searching for a magical trigger to destroy Storybrooke. Her plan was to use the magic beans, grown by the giant, to take her and Henry back to the Enchanted Forest. She offered Hook the use of a portal as well and he intended to take Aria with him. When Regina left him to die at the hands of Maleficent, he decided to go through with Greg and Tamara's scheme. They tinkered with Cora's cuff, allowing it to prevent Regina's magic when she put it on her wrist. She was strapped down to a metal table.

"Whatever they're offering you, it's not worth it"

"Considering they're offering to help me kill Rumplestiltskin, I'd say it is"

"You actually trust them? You don't even know who they work for…and besides, I thought you gave that up. What restarted this plot of revenge? Is this about Aria?"

Killian glared. She let out a derisive laugh.

"What's your plan here, Hook? Kill him and then she'll be yours? You really think she'll ignore that you killed her father?"

"Considering he was willing to abandon her in some random land, I think she's better off without him"

"She'll always choose him. Trust me, I know"

He looked at her, strangely. Before he could question her, Greg entered the room with a machine. Killian recognized it from one of the boxes in the trailer. Aria explained that it administered electric shocks to a person. Greg asked for his assistance with the machine. Killian refused, not wanting to see Regina tortured for information. He left to return to his ship. Tamara was in another room. She had a covering over the metal table.

"Our agreement was that if I delivered the queen to you, you would help kill Rumplestiltskin"

"We don't go back on our deals, Hook. We just need to do a few things first"

She took out a leather cuff from her purse, attaching it to the person's wrist. He leaned against the doorway.

"What is the purpose of all this? He's looking for his father. What about you? Is this some strange hobby you two have in common?"

Tamara scoffed. "You think we're the only ones? There's an entire office of people like us. They'll be here soon"

"For what?"

"To deal with this town. Don't worry. I'll tell them to leave you alone since we're on the same side. You can take a bean and go back home by yourself. It's not like you have any reason to stay besides killing the Dark One"

She removed the covering. Aria was unconscious on the table. Dried blood caked around a wound on the side of her head.

"Why is Aria here?"

"Because she can do magic. Our boss at the home office is very interested in her. I won't kill her. I just want some answers"

"She's your fiance's sister"

"You think I care about Neal? I used him because I knew he had a connection to magic. You know, I don't think she cared much about you, Hook. I know her type. The pretty girls who use their looks to toy with men just because they can and to get what they want. She used you and Greg…I bet she has Devon wrapped around her finger too. Tell me when she wakes up"

Tamara left the room…

~Aria~

Aria's eyes slowly fluttered open and she found herself in a dark room. Her head seared with pain. The back of her neck pressed against something cold. As she attempted to sit up, she noticed restraints on her arms and waist. She crinkled her nose to unlock the restraints. To her confusion, nothing happened. Killian appeared at one side of the table.

"Aria"

"What's going on? Why isn't my magic working?"

"You were right…about Greg and Tamara. Greg isn't just here for his father. They want something with magic. Other people who work with them are coming to the town. They captured Regina. She's in another room"

"Why are you here?"

There was a guilty expression on his face. He admitted that they made a deal with him. If he captured Regina, they would help him kill Aria's father. Aria's anger was rising and she wanted to smack him.

"Why can't you just let it go? Even if you killed him, it's not going to make things better. Do you think it's going to give you happiness?"

"I did let it go…for you. I've obsessed over it for 300 years and you're the only thing that made me realize that there was more to life than revenge. Aria, you have to know what he told me at the bar. He was going to send you away. He was so angry that you would disobey him and continue to trust me…that he was going to make a portal and leave you alone"

"No"

"He was going to abandon you…all so he could show me that he's in control, that he always gets what he wants"

"He wouldn't do that to me. You're lying"

"If you don't believe me, read my mind. My memories can't lie"

She looked directly into his eyes. Slowly, an image of the bar formed in her head. She saw the conversation between Killian and her father. Her father threatened that he would ensure a permanent separation by sending Aria to an untraceable land. Aria abruptly exited the memory. She did not want to believe that her father would abandon her. Her mother had already done that years ago for selfish reasons. He was willing to leave her simply because he did not like her friendship with someone and did not listen to him. Killian used his hook to unlock the restraints. He lifted her off of the table. Sneaking out of the cannery, he headed for his ship. He placed her down on the deck. She looked at the cuff on her wrist. He explained that it was inhibiting her magic. She tugged on the cuff. It was bound very tightly to her skin.

"I'm going to rip it off"

"Wait, it"

He tore the cuff off on her wrist. She hissed in pain. There was deep scarring of her skin. Her eyes widened when the scars vanished within seconds.

"I didn't use magic. How did that happen?"

He chuckled, taking her hand. His thumb brushed over the ring.

"I told you it was enchanted. It heals injuries of non-magical means. I may be a very dangerous pirate but even I have been hit by a sword or two"

"Why would you give this to me? You need it more than I do…at least I can use magic"

"I'm not going to take it back, Aria"

"You said other people who work with Greg and Tamara are coming here. What do they want?"

"I couldn't get it out of her. Perhaps they want to study magical beings. Whoever they work for…she said they had an interest in you"

Suddenly, she heard a few loud gunshots. They hurried off of the ship. Multiple Jeeps and trucks passed through the town. She saw a weird symbol on the doors. The cars were too far away to get a good look at it. A few men and women, dressed in black uniforms, got out of the cars, holding guns. They entered buildings and handcuffed people, forcing them into the trucks.

"They're rounding them up like cattle"

"We need to get to the school. I don't think they'll care about hurting kids"

She transported them to the school. In the distance, she could see the outsiders heading down the street. She entered the building. As she turned a corner, she bumped into Jane, who was with Marissa and Devon.

"Aria, we were worried that they got you. Emma told us that Regina went missing" said Marissa.

"Where's Emma?"

"With Neal, David, and Snow. Tamara and Greg were behind it. Snow just called me and said that they got Regina out of the cannery. I think they were heading back to their apartment. We came here to get the kids before those nutcases showed up"

"We better hurry"

"We can put them on the ship. You could cloak it again so we're hidden" said Killian.

Aria nodded. They went down the hallway, checking classrooms. As she opened a door, a blur tackled her in a hug. It was Henry.

"Aria!"

"Hey, it's okay. You're going to be fine"

"We heard gunshots. What's going on?"

"We'll explain it later. Are all of you in here?"

"Yea, the teachers told us to hide while they went outside to see what was happening" said Paige.

"Where's Clara?" asked Jane, referring to her youngest sister.

Paige told her that she had gone to the bathrooms before they heard the gunshots. Jane left to find her. The children all looked very frightened. Aria waved her hand over the door. She cast a spell that would keep the classroom invisible to the outsiders. Voices could be heard in the hallway.

"Agent Tamara says to rendezvous at the local bar. We'll wait there until we get further instructions"

"Put your hands up. Don't make any sudden movements. I said, keep your hands up. What are you reaching for?"

She heard two more gunshots. Henry hugged her waist. Once she heard the agents leave, she opened the door. She told the children to stay in the classroom until they returned. Warily, they moved down the hallway. A small girl around six was covering her eyes, crying. Aria bent down to her.

"Clara"

"A—Aria"

"Where's Jane?"

As Clara continued to cry, Aria felt a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. She had a feeling that it was not one of the teachers who had been shot by an agent. Through sniffles and stutters, Clara told her how Jane got her out of the bathroom. A man spotted them and ordered them to put their hands into the air. Clara was scared and had reached for her backpack. The agent, who got jumpy, assumed it was some magical weapon and went to shoot her. Jane got in the way to protect her. Entering Clara's mind, Aria saw a young man around her age. He had been the one to shoot Jane. Clara brought them around the corner. Jane was lying in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds in her stomach and head. Marissa panicked at the sight. She urged Aria to use magic to fix her. Aria knew it was too late and even magic could not bring back the dead. Marissa buried her head into Devon's shoulder while he held onto Clara.

"Aria, we need to get to the ship" said Killian.

"You three go"

He turned her towards him. "Where are you going? You can't be out there alone"

"I'll meet you at the ship. I need to…check on my father. He's probably in his shop"

"He's more than capable of"

"I'm going to his shop. They can't hurt me. Just get them to the ship. Don't let them see Jane"

"Be careful"

She left the building and transported herself out of the bar. The agents were inside, standing around and talking to each other. One of them mentioned waiting for Greg, Tamara, and a man named Ryan. She entered the bar. All of the agents raised their guns. She pushed her hand forward. All of them were knocked unconscious. She tied them up with rope and threw all of their guns into a trash bin. Going into a back room, she grabbed a bottle of tequila. The image of Jane's body popped up in her head. Aria blamed herself for letting Jane leave the classroom without any protection. She downed the tequila and used magic to refill the bottle a few times. As she sat in the back room, she heard a commotion outside. She recognized Greg's voice.

"You're going to be staying in here for awhile"

"Greg, don't do this. We didn't do anything wrong" said Snow.

"Shut up and move"

Aria left the back room. Greg and Jane's killer, who she assumed to be this Ryan, had their guns pointed at Emma, David, Snow, Marissa, Devon, and Killian. Aria searched for Neal among them but he was not in the group. Noticing the distraught expression on Emma's face, she worried that he suffered the same fate as Jane. Ryan noticed the unconscious bodies in the corner of the bar.

"Wh—what happened?"

"I confess, it was me"

"Aria" said Greg.

"Well, it looks like you weren't completely honest with me. Sorry about your friends. I can be a bit of a nasty drunk. It was a bit too crowded and I preferred to be alone. They're not dead…just knocked out. Let's have a chat"

He pointed the gun at her. She waved her hand. They were tied to chairs. Their guns fell to the floor and she kicked them aside. Ryan, who appeared to be new to this job, looked anxious. Greg merely glared.

"You think you can intimidate us? It won't work. You won't hurt us, Aria. They'll stop you" he said, looking at Snow and David.

"What makes you so sure?" said Snow.

"You're Snow White. You're all about morality and goodness. You freaked out over killing a woman who wanted to murder your family…"

Greg was attempting to manipulate Snow. He was taking a cheap shot at her situation with Cora's death but he had a valid point. David and Snow would be less inclined to seriously hurt anyone. She told them to go with Emma to check on Regina. David looked reluctant. Aria promised to not hurt them. She waited for them to leave the bar.

"Well sunshine, the moral compass is gone. Now you're stuck with three people who just lost their best friend because of your actions and a pirate. Still think you're safe?"

"You promised not to hurt us" said Ryan.

Aria grabbed knives off of a table. She nodded.

"I did, Ryan. I won't hurt you. I never said anything about letting you hurt yourselves. Word choice is everything. We can avoid all this possible harm if you just tell me why you're in Storybrooke"

Both men were silent. She put a knife in each of their hands. Grabbing Ryan's chin, she gazed into his eyes. She told him to stab himself in the leg repeatedly. Looking at Greg, she had him use the knife on his stomach. Ryan plunged the knife into his leg. He cried out in pain. She sat across from them with Devon, Marissa, and Killian. Greg winced as the knife penetrated his stomach.

"Can't we just kill them? He's the one that killed Jane, isn't he?" said Marissa.

"First, we need information. I'll let either of you answer. Why are you in Storybrooke? Greg, don't give me the bullshit about your father"

"I—I'm not telling you anything"

"Oh, I think you will, mate...unless you want my hook to give you a smile from ear to ear" threatened Killian.

After a few minutes, blood poured from their wounds. Neither of them said a word about their business in the town. She could tell that Ryan was the weaker of the two men. He would be easier to break for information. She made the knifes disappear from their hands.

"Let's play a game. I will keep asking you for information and you try to guess who my mother is. For every wrong answer, I hurt you until I have nothing left to cut. If I win, we'll kill you"

"W—what if we win? Y—you'll let us go?" asked Ryan.

"Oh sweetie, your optimism is adorable. If you think you're getting a happy ending, you're very mistaken. You'll be lucky to get out of here in one piece"

"Why are you in Storybrooke?" asked Devon.

"We're not talking. Your mother used to work for a king" said Greg, looking at Aria.

She shook her head. "Wrong"

"I—it is not. I—I've seen you with her. That's your mother"

"Adoptive mother. You're wrong"

Aria walked over to Greg. She tilted the knife under his chin. He gave her a pleading look. Under his breath, he begged her not to hurt him. He told her that his feelings for her were real. She smiled.

"Oh, were they? Because mine weren't. I knew you were shady and I pretended to like you to get information. Don't look so upset, Greg. I can't be the first woman to pretend to be interested in you"

Aria dragged the knife across his cheek, drawing blood. He closed his eyes. The questioning was not giving them many answers. Ryan and Greg were being very resilient, unwilling to divulge any secrets. They only learned that the agents came to the town for magic. Killian had just used his hook on Ryan's shoulder.

"Just tell us what we want to know, lad. Save yourself some pain"

Aria bent down in front of him. Ryan's breathing was shallow. He could barely open his left eye.

"You think we're all evil little monsters, don't you? Well I'd hate to disappoint you. I didn't want to go this route, Ryan…but you've left me no choice. I want answers. Let's see if you're willing to have someone's death on your hands"

She grabbed two of the agents, a man and woman. Using a magic, she woke them up from their unconscious state. Aria bit into her wrist. She pressed her wrist into the man's mouth. He struggled against her grip. As the blood dripped into his mouth, she whispered a few words under her breath. He touched his throat, looking thirsty. She kept him steady, holding onto his neck.

"Your friend Samuel is now an upir. I guess you'd call them vampires here. See, they originated in our home and when they got too dangerous, people with magic spread them across the lands. Most of them ended up here. Most become upirs through a bite…but some can be turned through magic. Magic is amazing, isn't it?"

"Change him back" said Greg.

"No, I don't think so. Let me give you a lesson in upirs, Greg. They are driven by one thing…their lust for blood. Newborns lack any sort of control. Samuel"

He turned to her, panting. "If after five minutes, Ryan and Greg have still told us nothing about their home office and what the hell it wants, I want you to kill Rachel"

The woman's face paled. She shook her head, frantically. Aria sat down at the table. She conjured a timer and set it for five minutes. Ryan kept glancing over at Samuel, worried. Greg kept his eyes on the floor. She read his thoughts.

"Greg, honestly, you should be more scared of me than your boss. If you want to make it out of here alive, talk to me"

"You'll just kill us anyway"

"True but if you tell me some information, I might give you a few days for a headstart before I track you down"

"You don't scare me, you stupid little bitch. When I get out of this, I'm going to kill you myself and your precious magic won't save you"

Aria kept Killian from going over to him. She stopped the timer early and told Samuel to kill his coworker. Rachel begged for him to not hurt her. His eyes turned scarlet red. He snarled and bit into her neck. She screamed in pain as his fangs ripped her apart. Marissa scrunched her nose in disgust. Within a minute, Rachel was lifeless on the floor. Aria ordered Samuel to sit until she spoke to him again. She looked at Devon.

"Go in the back room. There's something that I know will get them to talk"

He got up from the table. As he passed Ryan, he punched him across the face, telling him it was for Jane. He returned with a man in his forties, who had a similar appearance to Greg. Seeing the man, Greg's eyes widened. He turned to Aria.

"H—how? R—Regina said…she told me she killed him"

"Regina's a liar, Greg. Your dad's right there. The same as he was when he first arrived in Storybrooke. I'll let you leave with him if you tell me what you came here for"

Greg looked conflicted. His father pleaded with him. Devon held a knife to his throat.

"Wait! I—I'll talk…I'll tell you the truth"

Greg explained that they worked for an organization that wanted to destroy magic. The organization tracked magical beings in this world. Usually, they found one or two people in an area but Storybrooke was the first town of magic. He claimed that they wanted to destroy magic because it was unholy. Aria thought it all sounded very strange. Neither of them knew who headed the organization. Marissa did not look pleased at this father-son reunion. She wanted justice for Jane's death. Aria untied the ropes with a spell. Ryan did not move. He was too scared to even blink. Greg got up from his chair. He promised to leave Storybrooke.

"I bet you missed your father, didn't you, Greg?"

"Yes"

"He doesn't even know what you've been up to all these years. Mr. Flynn, your son…is a cold-blooded killer. He's murdered and tortured people. He was willing to let an entire town die for some stupid idea. Little Owen isn't the innocent boy he used to be, I'm afraid"

"Shut up!"

"Why? Your father deserves to know exactly who you are, Greg. Own up to it. Jane wasn't the only death. You killed other people in this town…for just not listening to you"

Tears filled Greg's eyes as he hugged his father. He looked elated to see him again.

"Aria, you're just going to let him reunite with his father? He was going to hurt you. He tortured Regina. Swan said she was close to death" hissed Killian.

"Greg, you forgot to ask an important question. I told you Regina is a liar…but you forgot to ask if I am a liar too"

The skin on Greg's father's face began to deteriorate. Slowly, he turned back into a skeleton.

"Dad!"

"He's been dead all this time. I was just messing with you. I do love mind games. Now, I am going to give you a head start. You can use it to go find Tamara and leave Storybrooke before it's too late"

"T—too late?" asked Ryan.

"Samuel, are you still hungry? Once Ryan and Greg leave the bar, give them ten seconds before you find them and kill them. Oh, and kill Tamara too. You can't hurt anyone else but them. Understood?"

His eyes turned scarlet once more. Ryan and Greg rushed out of the bar. Waiting a few seconds, Samuel chased after them…


End file.
